AmVets Post 33 seeking participants for Memorial Day parade

JAY — Although AmVets Post 33 and Hillside Sports have donated money to cover the parade insurance, participants are still being sought. Churches, community organizations, school clubs or teams, Scouts, 4-H, antique cars or trucks, fire, police and emergency medical personnel/vehicles and businesses wanting to be part of the event should contact the organizers as soon as possible. The parade May 29 will feature walking units, bands and floats, but without greater participation, there will be very little parade, they noted. Volunteers are needed to walk the portable public address system from the War Memorial down the parade route to end at Union Park.

The theme of this year’s parade is “Those We Have Lost.” Veterans young and old are invited to step into the parade anywhere along the route. Organizers also invite veterans to be part of the honor guard. Positions to fill include Rifle Guard, American flag, Maine state flag, Army, Marine, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, POW/MIA, VFW, AmLegion and AmVets. Second Rifle Guard positions in the honor guard are also needed. All honor guard volunteers must be at the parade line-up by 9:30 a.m.

The day’s schedule of events includes:

• 7 a.m. — Livermore Falls Memorial Bridge (prayer and wreath, AmVets Post 33)
• 7:20 a.m. — Livermore Veterans Memorial (prayer and wreath, Knights of Columbus Council 320)
• 7:45 a.m. —  Jay POW/MIA Bridge (prayer and wreath, VFW Post 3335)
• 8:15 a.m. — Jay Hill Cemetery (prayer, Dorothy White; wreath, firing-squad military salute, Memorial Day Committee)
• 8:45 a.m. — VFW Post 3335 (prayer and wreath by VFW Post 3335)
• 9 a.m. — Parade line-up by Lynn and Darryl Dunton, Memco parking lot, 102 Main St.
• 10 a.m. — Parade begins

So far, the parade line-up looks like this:

• Police escorts and North Star Ambulance
• Parade Marshall John Taglienti, driven by Raymond Castonguay in his Willys Jeep
• Color guard (Post 10 and veterans)
• Active-duty military personnel
• Commanders and presidents of veterans organizations
• Two military Jeeps with veterans — Philip Maurais with his military Jeep
• KC Council 320, Fourth-Degree Honor Guard
• Woman who serve our veterans
• Veterans who cannot march
• Spruce Mountain High School band
• Miss Clover, AmVets Post 33
• Miss Poppy, American Legion Unit 10
• Miss Buddy Poppy and Master Buddy Poppy, VFW 3335
• All other organization wishing to participate
• Area fire departments participating
• Organizations that have animals participating
• Police escorts

Along the parade route, these activities are planned:

• Chisholm Square WWII War Memorial — prayer, speech and wreath by KC Council 320; Spruce Mountain High School band will play the national anthem and perform “Taps.”
• Richardson Cemetery — prayer and wreath by AmVets Post 33; Spruce Mountain High School band will play the national anthem and perform “Taps.”
• Grand Army of the Republic monument — prayer and wreath by American Legion Post 10; Spruce Mountain High School band will play the national anthem and perform “Taps.”
• Fire, Police and EMS Monument — prayer and wreaths by fire-police-EMS; Spruce Mountain High School band will play the national anthem and perform “Taps.”
• Livermore Falls Union Park — Pledge of Allegiance recited by Abby Riley, great-great-great granddaughter of Edwin Riley, Civil War veteran; prayer, speech and wreath by VFW Post 3335.
• WWI Monument — wreath

In addition, there will be two other events:

12:30 p.m. — Fayette Memorial — prayer and wreath, details to be announced.

1:15  p.m. — Leeds Memorial, Leeds Center, Route 106 and Church Road; prayer and wreath by AmVets Post 33

For more information or to register your group’s participation in the events, contact Diane Getz at 207-320-0103 or Don Simoneau at e-mail (amlegion1a@gmail.com)