Cover photo: Wreaths laid at the Raynor Park monument (Credit – Matt Meduri)
As Suffolk County’s communities dotted the landscape with parades and solemn remembrance ceremonies, Lake Ronkonkoma did just the same on Monday morning.
The 10:00a.m. parade was operated by the local posts of AMVETS, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), and the American Legion. Beginning at Church Street, the parade rolled down Hawkins Avenue, taking Portion Road to Ronkonkoma Avenue to end at Raynor Park.
The parade and ceremony were also facilitated and sponsored by the Ronkonkoma Chamber of Commerce.
There, a ceremony and wreath-laying memo-rial was held in honor of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. On the pavilion grounds, a 1946 jeep was on display. Its driver, Josephine Molinari of the Women’s Auxiliary, got the vehicle roadworthy and drove it up from Blue Point herself. The vehicle was set to deploy in World War II, but remained in the homeland at the war’s end. A memorial for Molinari’s husband was just across the pavilion pavers from the vehicle.
“Today is not a day of the future. Today, we look back to the past and honor those men and women who died while serving in defense of this great nation,” said Commander Frank Pearl, of the AMVETS Post #48.
Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy (R-Nesconset) (pictured below), delivered the invocation.
“For them we would not be able to be here today. We wouldn’t have Boy Scouts, we wouldn’t have Girl Scouts, We wouldn’t have children in the playground. Because the world knows that democracy is what is the opposition to oppression and tyranny. And throughout history, oppression and tyranny have attempted to eliminate our great way of life,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy mentioned a Civil War Veteran, Edward J. Carman, who died on April 1, 1865. He was buried in Clarksburg, Virginia. Carman’s mother sent a letter to the colonel discussing the devotion and love required to remain unified as a nation. Originally called Decoration Day, the letter birthed the modern Memorial Day, the name it assumed after World War I.
“Today, when you go to the picnic or you go to something else, remember a Veteran who died so that we can gather today. And we will all be a better country, and we will all go on to be a better county,” closed Kennedy.
“To the Gold Star families, our hearts are with you today and every day,” said Pearl.
Representing the William Francis Taylor VFW Post #9486 was Commander Alex DeFrancis, and the American Legion Post #155, Fred Tartaglione.
“We celebrate many holidays in this nation, none as important or as humbling as this day. As you may know, all of our posts are named for a veteran who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Tartaglione, mentioning William Merritt (Post #155), Donald F. Pugliese (Post #48), and William Francis Taylor (Post #9486).
“But of course there are many others that deserve the same recognition. These names are of many others that deserve the same recognition. As all of us feel the loss when we lose someone who bravely sacrificed themselves for our nation,” said Tartaglione (pictured above).
Wreaths were laid at the monument at Raynor Park, including by the participating posts, Paws of War, Ladies Auxiliary, the Ronkonkoma Chamber of Commerce, the Ronkonkoma Rotary Club, and local Boy and Girl Scout troops.
Kevin Prego, Director of Development for Paws of War, (pictured above) an Army Veteran himself, gave a heartfelt speech in honor of his fallen brothers and sisters.
“I think about my brothers and sisters that have already entered that grave and Veterans fighting that battle every day. Twenty-two Veterans take their lives a day. In Suffolk County, we have 66,000 Veterans. Nassau County, we have 44,000 veterans. That’s 112,000 Veterans within Nassau and Suffolk County. The population is strong, the population is proud, but the population is in need,” said Prego. “And when those heroes sacrifice everything, they sacrifice a piece of their family, a piece of themselves. But we don’t look at the families as well who are also sacrificing a piece of themselves.”
Musical stylings were provided by Lee Ann and John Prussen.
