X

O’burg, Massena, Gouverneur, Canton, Norwood among communities planning Memorial Day parades, ceremonies

Posted 5/25/19

Several St. Lawrence County communities are hosting Memorial Day activities this year. Parades, wreath layings, graveside services, gun salutes and lunches are planned for the coming weekend and on …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

O’burg, Massena, Gouverneur, Canton, Norwood among communities planning Memorial Day parades, ceremonies

Posted

Several St. Lawrence County communities are hosting Memorial Day activities this year. Parades, wreath layings, graveside services, gun salutes and lunches are planned for the coming weekend and on Monday, May 27, Memorial Day.

Ogdensburg VFW Post 2936 will host a Memorial Day ceremony at Riverside Cemetery on Monday morning with light luncheon to follow at the post at 1112 Champlain St.

In Massena, the Massena VFW is organizing a Memorial Day parade, with the American Legion and Amvets posts also participating, at 10:30 a.m. The procession will start at Sacred Heart and go to Memorial Park by the Fire Department on Andrews Streets.

The Gouverneur American Legion is hosting a parade Monday up Main Street to the village park downtown from 10 a.m.-noon. Parade lineup will be from 9-9:30 a.m.

Star Lake American Legion Post 1539 is hosting a bullhead feed at the post at 264 Star Lake Rd., from 1-3 p.m. on Memorial Day.

In Canton, the Edward C. Seymour VFW Post 1231 will organize a parade from the old Reserves center off West Main Street to the village green park. The parade starts at 10 a.m. and will make stops for a wreath ceremony on the Route 11 bridge near Heritage Park and in St. Mary’s Cemetery for a wreath ceremony as well. The Post plans to have a 21-gun volley and “Taps” played at the park at the end of the parade. A light luncheon will follow at the post at 34 Gouverneur St. The public is welcome.

Norwood’s Memorial Day observance begins with a bridge ceremony at 10:45 a.m., and then a parade at 11 a.m. Monday from the Norwood American Legion Post 68 on Maple Street, which proceeds down Spring Street to Main Street and the municipal park, where a Fort Drum Honor Guard will execute a 21-gun salute, according to Post Commander Elaine Saarinen. The ceremony will continue with speakers, including Army Lt. Col. Jeffrey Gerrish, Ret., post second vice commander. The Norwood Volunteer Fire Department will participate in the parade after their appearance at the parade at 9 a.m. in Norfolk. After Norwood’s ceremony, Saarinen invites everyone back to the post for snacks.

A memorial service will be held at St. Henry’s Cemetery in DeKalb Junction on Monday, at 8 a.m. to commemorate veterans who gave their lives for our country. In case of rain, a Mass will take place at St. Mary’s Church in Canton at 9 a.m..

No parade is planned in Potsdam, however, the Potsdam VFW will be cleaning gravestones and replacing flags at St. Mary’s, Garfield, Southville and Hewittville cemeteries on Saturday, starting at 8 a.m. Volunteers from the public are welcome to attend. On Sunday, the post will be laying wreathes on the sites of the oldest veteran gravesites at each cemetery starting at 8 a.m. A ceremony with a volley and buglers Adam Boldt and Derick Grant playing “Taps,” along with a wreath laying ceremony will follow at the Veteran’s Memorial in Ives Park.