This Memorial Day weekend, while enjoying the unofficial start of summer, remember to take some time out to honor those American heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms, and consider attending one of the many remembrances taking place across the county.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 26, 27 and 28, the Putnam County Joint Veterans Council will hold its annual John Morris Memorial Watchfire Vigils from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Veterans’ Memorial Park on Gipsy Trail Road in Carmel/Kent. An opening ceremony is scheduled Friday at 7 p.m. Flag retirement will take place throughout the weekend.
After park monuments were vandalized over Memorial Day weekend in 2005, the county began holding these vigils to make sure vandals don’t strike again.
On Sunday, May 28, Carmel VFW Post 1374 and its auxiliary, and American Legion Post 270 will host a ceremony at the monument on Terryhill Road in Kent at 9:30 a.m., followed by an 11 a.m. ceremony at the post home at 32 Gleneida Ave., Carmel. Refreshments will follow.
On Monday, May 29 – Memorial Day – Brewster VFW Post 672, American Legion Post 71 and Marine Corps League Detachment 242 will present a 5K starting at 8 a.m. at Markel Park. Then, a parade will step off at 10:45 a.m. from the Brewster Fire Department, ending at Electrozone Memorial Field, where a ceremony will take place at about 11 a.m. Food and vendors will follow at Markel Park.
At 10 a.m. Monday, Cold Spring VFW Post 2362 and American Legion Post 275 will host a small ceremony at the Main Street memorial at 10 a.m., including the laying of a wreath on the Hudson River.
Also at 10 a.m. Monday, Putnam Lake VFW Post 9257 and its auxiliary, and AMVETS Post 1111 will present a 10 a.m. parade stepping off from the Castle Building on Haviland Drive and ending at the monument at the intersection of Fairfield and Haviland Drive, where a ceremony will take place. Refreshments will then be served at the VFW post home, at 4 Fairfield Dr., Patterson.
Also on Memorial Day, Mahopac VFW Post 5491 and its auxiliary, and American Legion Post 1080 will lead a parade stepping off at 10:30 a.m. from Clark Place, followed by a ceremony at the monument near the library. Afterward, the VFW will hold a ceremony at its post home at 154 East Lake Blvd., then the American Legion will have its ceremony at its post home on Buckshollow Road.
In addition, on Monday, Putnam Valley VFW Post 391 will host three short parades with ceremonies, at 11 a.m. at Town Hall, at noon at Lake Peekskill, and at 1 p.m. at the post home at 154 Oscawana Lake Road. An open house at the post home will follow the last ceremony.