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East Meadow Memorial Day parade salutes veterans, past and present

Posted Thursday, June 3, 2010 5:13 pm

Julianna Klosterman, 3, from East Meadow was all decked out in red, white, and blue as she waited for the parade to go by.

Ron Manfredi/Herald

East Meadow High School senior Mark Adler played "Taps" after the wreaths were placed.

Ron Manfredi/Herald

American Legion Post No. 1082 Commander Carl Pugliese led the assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance. To the right is Francis X. Naimoli, past commander of VFW Post No. 2736.

Ron Manfredi/Herald

Members of local Community organizations presented wreaths at Memorial Day services in Veterans Memorial Park.

Ron Manfredi/Herald

Charlie Ledogar, left, and Bill Weber, members of VFW Post No. 2736 were driven in a humvee by Cpl. Jesse Gurecki.

Ron Manfredi/Herald

Proud to be Americans. Parade Grand Marshal Salvatore Pellegrino, commander for VFW Post No. 2736, waved his flag as fellow veteran James Carbone drove a convertible through East Meadow during the annual Memorial Day parade on Monday.

Ron Manfredi/Herald

Veterans marched along with students, business leaders, politicians, little leaguers, firefighters and community members alike through the streets of East Meadow on Monday to commemorate Memorial Day.

The Veterans Memorial Day Parade parade kicked off from East Meadow High School, made its way through Hempstead Turnpike and Prospect Avenue, and finished with services at Veterans Memorial Park.

Grand Marshal Sal Pellegrino, post commander for VFW Post No. 2736, led the way. His staff included Carl Pugliese, commander of American Legion Post No. 1082 and Leonard Latzman, commander of the Jewish War Veterans Post No. 709.

Following the national anthem and invocation, Francis X. Naimoli, a past VFW post commander and Grand Marshal, introduced the special guests.

Since 1999, the parade has been sponsored and organized by the East Meadow Chamber of Commerce and the office of Legislator Norma Gonsalves, in partnership with the East Meadow United Veterans Council. Lead coordinators for both the Chamber and the county are Dolores Rome and Elizabeth Fries.

Presentation of Wreaths:

American Legion Post 1082
Boy Scout Troop 157 & Cub Scout Pack 157
Boy Scout Troop 362
Cub Scout Pack 362
Community Association of Stewart Avenue (CASA)
Council of East Meadow Community Organizations (CEMCO)
Covanta Energy
East Meadow Association of Girl Scouts
Youth Baseball/Softball Association of East Meadow
East Meadow Chamber of Commerce
East Meadow Fire Department
East Meadow Fire District
East Meadow Jewish Community Relations Council
East Meadow Kiwanis Foundation
Jewish War Veterans Ladies Auxiliary Post 709
Jewish War Veterans Post 709 – East Meadow/Levittown
Knights of Columbus, Pope Pius XII Council #4422
Lakeview Estates Civic Association
Senator Edward J. Speno Lodge #2568 Order Sons of Italy
The Bristal at East Meadow, Assisted Living
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2736

Guest speakers, presenters on parade program

There were several guest speakers and presenters, including:

Grand Marshal: Sal Pellegrino, Post Commander of VFW Post No. 2736

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