Memorial Day tributes honor sacrifice

TRI-COUNTY AREA--Memorial Day is dedicated to honoring the memory of those who died in active military service. Towns and villages throughout the area will be honoring this sacrifice Monday, May 30 with memorial ceremonies, breakfasts and parades.
Events begin a few days early in Yates County with the Dundee VFW's honoring of fallen heroes Kenneth Kent, Richard Smith and Christopher Scott Saturday, May 28 at 11 a.m. A chicken barbecue dinner will be served at 12:30 p.m. Call 607-243-8669 to make dinner reservations.
The Memorial Presbyterian Church of Bellona will conduct a Memorial Day service Sunday, May 29 at 11 a.m. The honor roll will be read during the service, paying tribute to veterans who have served their county. The community is encouraged to march up the hill from the church to the Bellona Cemetery led by Penn Yan's American Legion and VFW Honor Guard.
Dundee's annual parade will also take place at 10 a.m. Monday. The parade starts at the Dundee Central School and ends at the end of Seneca Street. A Memorial Day prayer will be delivered during a ceremony at the Seneca Street Park. John Lemke, as President Abraham Lincoln, will be the guest speaker. Following the Dundee parade, members of the Himrod Fire Department will also rededicate the firemen and ladies monument across the street from the fire house.
The village of Penn Yan will also hold a Memorial Day parade Monday from 10 a.m. to noon. The parade will begin on East Main Street, proceed down Main Street and stop at the corner of Court Street. The parade grand marshals will be World War II Nurse Phyllis Cramer, World War II Women's Army Corps member Martha Rouin and Jean Hoagland of the World War II United States Marine Corps. The Master of Ceremonies is Honorable Judge Patrick Falvey and the guest speaker is Dr. Chris Leahy, Keuka College professor of history. The public is also invited to a luncheon provided by the American Legion immediately following the parade.
The 94 year anniversary of the Dresden parade will take place from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The parade begins at the Dresden United Methodist Church with members marching to the Evergreen Cemetery, with a concluding memorial service. Jeff Waite will lead the Penn Yan middle school band. Sheryl Parkhurst will lead the Memorial Day Choir. A solo will be performed by Penn Yan Academy student Ryan Smith. Don Chambers will read the Roll of Honor. After the service, Grand Marshall Arne Christensen will head up a parade to the cemetery, where a service will be conducted under the direction of Don Chambers and other members of American Legion Post 1571. J. Jeffrey Stempien and Philip Bracht will play taps. After the cemetery service there will be a chicken barbecue at the church.
The Wayne History Group will hold their annual Memorial Day service May 30 at 10 a.m. The ceremony will be at the Wayne Village Cemetery, featuring several speakers, musical tributes, prayers and the playing of "Taps."
In Schuyler County, the village of Watkins Glen's events begin at 10:30 a.m. at the Naval Memorial, with a parade up Franklin Street at approximately 10:45 a.m. to the 11 a.m. service at the county courthouse. The guest speaker will be Louis Withiam, who is a retired colonel of the United States Marine Corps. The annual memorial service at She-Qua-Ga Falls Park takes place at 9:30 a.m. Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I--Corning) will be giving the keynote address at the event. There will also be a memorial service in Odessa at the Veteran's Memorial Park at 2558 Route 228 at 11 a.m. John Neal is this year's guest speaker.
Memorial Day begins bright and early Monday with the Re-Dun Airfield's annual Fly-In Breakfast, running from 7 to 11 a.m. The event is hosted by the Dundee Flying Club.