Rain Can’t Stop New Hyde Park Memorial Day Parade

The 2013 Memorial Day Parade in New Hyde Park was a bit shorter than in recent years, starting from Lakeville Road Saturday rather than the usual Hillside Boulevard due to the rain showers present early in the a.m. and also caused the parade to forgo it’s second-half march from the village hall to Memorial Park.

“Thank you all for participating in this rainy day to honor the 56 New Hyde Park residents and all residents who have died on the battlefields around the world,” mayor Robert Lofaro said to the few dozen who had gathered along the parade route and on the sidewalk in front of memorial rock in front of village hall on Jericho Turnpike, many with rain slickers, ponchos and holding umbrellas – the mayor included – against the downpour. “Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate.”

While for many this weekend and the annual parade down Jericho Turnpike marks the unofficial start of summer, others have paid with their lives for others to have that summer.

Led by a color guard down Jericho Turnpike, the parade procession stopped at the village hall where this year’s Grand Marshal, Navy Air Corps. veteran Edward Smolenski, accompanied by John McGuire of the American Legion, laid a wreath in front of the memorial rock after the names of fallen veterans from New Hyde Park were read aloud, followed by three volleys from the nearby rifle squad.

“The students at New Hyde Park Memorial High School refer to themselves as Gladiators,” deputy mayor Lawrence Montreuil said. “Gladiators are imbued with skills, courage, confidence as they step out onto the field of battle.”

Montreuil read the names, ages and addresses of eight graduates and village residents who lost their lives in combat: John Finnegan, John DiDomizio, Michael Gallagher, Robert Finnegan, John Rupert, Robert Palenscar, Ralph Manners and John Ferrazzano.

The village board had in recent months heavily encouraged residents to turnout for the parade and had contemplated changes to the parade route but ultimately decided in favor of the traditional route.

“We had asked them to come as their civic duty to honor the men and women that have died in service to our country,” Lofaro said in his speech. “For all you here today, thank you for your dedication and devotion, but let’s not forget why we are here: to remember our war dead.”

Among the other dignitaries in attendance were Nassau Legislator Richard Nicolello, Nassau Clerk Maureen O’Connell, North Hempstead Town Council members Angelo Ferrara and Dina DiGiorgio and North Hempstead Town Clerk Leslie Gross.

Only about 50 people lined the shortened parade route this year.

“When I was a kid in New Hyde Park, they had 100 times more than they had today, rain or shine” said Smolenski, who was in training to be a B-5 pilot. “Because everybody, my brother and I, every ran down the block to Jericho Turnpike. If it was a nice day we’d probably have more. It’s a different sphere of influence and people think different today.”

Smolenski added that the American Legion has also seen its numbers drop to between 60-65 as more WWII veterans pass away or retire to assisted living facilities or move out of state and the group has trouble attracting newer veterans who have just returned home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

“We tried a few times but they’re not interested,” Smolenski said, “the newer generation’s not interested.”

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