A scene from the 2022 Northport Memorial Day parade. Photo by Media Origin
‘Remember those who served before.
Remember those who are no more.
Remembers those who serve today.
Remember them all on Memorial Day.’
— Emily Toma
Centerport
The Centerport Fire Department will host a Memorial Day Parade on May 29 at 10 a.m. from Centershore Road, Harrison Drive, east on Mill Dam Road Centerport, southeast on Prospect Road, south on Little Neck Road.Ends at Park Circle, Centerport followed by a ceremony at the memorial monuments in the park. 631-261-5916
Centereach
The Centerach Fire Department will host a Memorial Day Parade on May 28 at 1 p.m. Parade kicks off at Horseblock Road at the bowling alley and ends at the Centereach Fire Department on South Washington Avenue. 631-588-8652.
Commack
VFW Elwood-Commack Post 9263 hosts a Memorial Day parade on May 29 at 10 a.m. Kick off is at the Home Depot parking lot at the intersection of Larkfield Road and Jericho Turnpike and head east on Jericho Turnpike to junction at Veterans Highway to Cannon Park for a ceremony. 631-368-9463
East Northport
Father Judge Council Knights of Columbus hosts the East Northport Memorial Day Parade with kick off on May 29 at 12:15 p.m. at Clay Pitts and Larkfield roads and proceed to John Walsh Memorial Park adjacent to Northport-East Northport Library. 631-262-1891
Farmingville
The Farmingville Fire Department will host its annual Memorial Day Parade on May 29. Parade starts at 11am from CVS on Horseblock Road to the memorial at Nicolls Road and Portion Road. 631-732-6611.
Greenlawn
Organized by the Greenlawn Fire Department, a Memorial Day parade will kick off on May 29 at 9 a.m. on East Maple Road, south on Broadway to Greenlawn Memorial Park, at the corner of Pulaski Road and Broadway. 631-261-9106
Holbrook
The Holbrook Memorial Day Parade will be held on May 29 at 11 a.m. Route starts at 1069 Main St. South to Furrows Rd West to Grundy Ave.South and culminates at the Holbrook Vietnam Memorial. 631-471-2725
Kings Park
The 97th annual Kings Park Memorial Day Parade, sponsored by American Legion Post 944, will be held on May 29 at 9 a.m. Kick off is at the RJO School at Old Dock Road and Church Street to the Veterans Plaza at Route 25A for flag ceremonies. 631-269-4140
Northport
Organized by the Northport American Legion Post 694, the parade will begin at 10 a.m. on May 29 at Laurel Avenue School and proceed to the Northport Village Park. 631-261-4424
Huntington
The Town of Huntington will host a Memorial Day Wreath Ceremony on May 28 at Veterans Plaza on the front lawn of Huntington Town Hall at 100 Main Street at 10 a.m. Patriotic music will be performed by the Northport High School Choir. 631-351-3012
On May 29, a Memorial Day parade organized by American Legion Post 360 will commence at 10 a.m. at West Neck Road and Gerard Street and head east on Main Street to Stewart Avenue in Huntington. 631-421-0535
Port Jefferson
On May 29, American Legion Wilson Ritch Post 432 will be performing a Memorial Day ceremony honoring and mourning the military personnel who have died in the performance of their military duties while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces at Port Jefferson Memorial Park, West Broadway, Port Jefferson. Call 631-473-9774 for the time.
Port Jefferson Station
On May 29, American Legion Wilson Ritch Post 432 will hold a Memorial Day ceremony at Steven J. Crowley Memorial Park on Old Town Road in Port Jefferson Station at 9 a.m. 631-473-9774
Rocky Point
Rocky Point Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6249 for a Memorial Day service to honor the fallen. The Rocky Point VFW Post 6249, 109 King Road, Rocky Point will host a Memorial Day service on May 29 at 11 a.m. 631-744-9106
St. James
A Memorial Day Parade organized by Sgt. John W. Cooke VFW Post 395 will be held on May 29 at 10 a.m. The parade steps off at the corner of Lake Avenue and Woodlawn Avenue and proceeds to St. James Elementary School for a ceremony. 631-862-7965
Setauket
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3054 will hold its annual Three Village Memorial Day Parade in Setauket on May 29 at 11 a.m. Parade starts at the corner of Main Street and Route 25A with an opening ceremony at the Village Green across from the library and a closing ceremony at Memorial Park along Route 25A. 631-751-5541
Smithtown
The Smithtown Fire Department will host a Memorial Day Parade on May 29 at noon. Kickoff is at the corner of Main Street and Singer Lane, continuing west on Main Street to Town Hall. 631-360-7620
Stony Brook
The Long Island State Veterans Home, 100 Patriots Road, Stony Brook will host a Memorial Day ceremony in its Multipurpose Room on May 26 at 2 p.m. Congressman Nick LaLota (NY-1) will give the Memorial Day keynote address to veterans and residents of the Long Island State Veterans Home. Congressman LaLota will join other elected officials in honoring the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in our armed forces with the laying of a memorial wreath. The ceremony will include a color guard, firing detail, taps memorial, wreath laying ceremony and “tolling of the bells” memorial service. 631-444-8615
Sound Beach
The Sound Beach Civic Association hosts a Memorial Day service at Veterans Memorial Park, New York Ave., Sound Beach on May 29 at noon. 631-744-6952
A grilled lamb burger pairs nicely with an El Capitán cocktail
By Heidi Sutton
Memorial Day is the official start of grilling season. The weather is finally warm, making it the perfect occasion for a large celebratory gathering.
This holiday, step it up a notch by making juicy, flavorful grilled lamb burgers served with traditional bbq sides including potato salad and corn. The meal pairs well with an El Capitán, a signature spring cocktail often served at Mirabelle Restaurant in Stony Brook.
Grilled Lamb Burgers
YIELD: Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2pounds ground lamb
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Spread:
2/3 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
1 clove raw garlic, grated
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salad:
1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/4cup microgreens
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 brioche buns
1 medium tomato, sliced into rounds
DIRECTIONS:
Divide lamb into four parts, 6 ounces each, and shape into rounds slightly larger than buns. Place covered in refrigerator, 1 hour.
To make yogurt sauce: In small bowl, mix yogurt, garlic, mayonnaise and Dijon mustard; refrigerate until ready to assemble burgers.
To make salad: In medium bowl, mix cucumber, onions, parsley, mint leaves, dill, microgreens, lemon juice, lemon zest and olive oil; refrigerate until ready to assemble burgers.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat with direct and indirect zones. Salt patties then add to grill, cooking about 6 minutes on each side until internal temperature reaches 150 F. As patties near this temperature, or start to brown, move to indirect zone to regulate doneness. Transfer to plate and let rest about 5 minutes.
To build the burgers, add a dollop of yogurt spread to bottom buns. Top each with tomato slice, lamb burger, herb salad and top bun.
El Capitán
Recipe courtesy of Mirabelle Restaurant
El Capitán cocktail
YIELD: Makes 1 serving
INGREDIENTS:
1 ½ oz Casamigos tequila
1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
½ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz rosemary simple syrup
Salt rim
Garnish with a torched grapefruit twist & rosemary sprig
DIRECTIONS:
Add all ingredients to an ice filled mixing glass. shake thoroughly and strain over a large ice cube in salt rimmed rocks glass, torch grapefruit peel and garnish with rosemary sprig.
A time honored tradition for Memorial Day, Long Island National Cemetery, 2040 Wellwood Ave., Farmingdale seeks volunteers to place American flags on veteran’s graves on May 27 at 8 a.m. and to return to the cemetery on June 1 at 8 a.m. to remove the flags. No registration required. For more info, call 631-454-4949.
Volunteers are also needed to place flags at Calverton National Cemetery, 210 Princeton BLvd., Calverton on May 27 at 9:30 a.m. and to pick up the flags on June 3 and roll them up in bundles of 20 so they can be put into storage for the following year. To register, visit calvertonsupport.com or call 631-727-5410.
This Memorial Day the staff at TBR News Media remembers and pays tribute to our brave fallen heroes. The office is closed today but will reopen tomorrow at 10 a.m.
The Centerport Fire Department will host a Memorial Day Parade on May 30 at 10 a.m. from Centershore Road, Harrison Drive, east on Mill Dam Road Centerport, southeast on Prospect Road, south on Little Neck Road.Ends at 9 Park Circle, Centerport followed by a ceremony at the memorial monuments in the park. 631-261-5916
Commack
VFW Elwood-Commack Post 9263 hosts a Memorial Day parade on May 30 at 10 a.m. Kick off is at the Home Depot parking lot at the intersection of Larkfield Road and Jericho Turnpike and head east on Jericho Turnpike to junction at Veterans Highway to Cannon Park for a ceremony. 631-368-9463
East Northport
Father Judge Council Knights of Columbus hosts the East Northport Memorial Day Parade with kick off on May 30 at 12:15 p.m. at Clay Pitts and Larkfield roads and proceed to John Walsh Memorial Park adjacent to Northport-East Northport Library. 631-262-1891
Greenlawn
Organized by the Greenlawn Fire Department, a Memorial Day parade will kick off on May 30 at 9 a.m. on East Maple Road, south on Broadway to Greenlawn Memorial Park, at the corner of Pulaski Road and Broadway. 631-261-9106
Kings Park
The 96th annual Kings Park Memorial Day Parade, sponsored by American Legion Post 944, will be held on May 30 at 9 a.m. Kick off is at the RJO School at Old Dock Road and Church Street to the Veterans Plaza at Route 25A for flag ceremonies. 631-269-4140
Northport
Organized by the Northport American Legion Post 694, the parade will begin at 10 a.m. on May 30 at Laurel Avenue School and proceed to the Northport Village Park. 631-261-4424
Huntington
The Town of Huntington will host a Memorial Day Wreath Ceremony on May 29 at Veterans Plaza on the front lawn of Huntington Town Hall at 100 Main Street at noon. Patriotic music will be performed by the Northport High School Choir. 631-351-3012
On May 30, a Memorial Day parade organized by Nathan Hale VFW Post 1469 and American Legion Post 360 will commence at 10 a.m. at West Neck Road and Gerard Street and head east on Main Street to Stewart Avenue in Huntington. 631-421-0535
Port Jefferson
On May 30, American Legion Wilson Ritch Post 432 will be performing a Memorial Day ceremony honoring and mourning the military personnel who have died in the performance of their military duties while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces at Port Jefferson Memorial Park, West Broadway, Port Jefferson. Call 631-473-9774 for the time.
St. James
A Memorial Day Parade organized by Sgt. John W. Cooke VFW Post 395 will be held on May 30 at 10 a.m. The parade steps off at the corner of Lake Avenue and Woodlawn Avenue and proceeds to St. James Elementary School for a ceremony. 631-862-7965
Setauket
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3054 will hold its annual Three Village Memorial Day Parade in Setauket on May 30 at 11 a.m. Parade starts at the corner of Main Street and Route 25A with an opening ceremony at the Village Green across from the library and a closing ceremony at Memorial Park along Route 25A. 631-751-5541
Smithtown
The Smithtown Fire Department will host a Memorial Day Parade on May 30 at noon. Kickoff is at the corner of Main Street and Singer Lane, continuing west on Main Street to Town Hall. 631-360-7620
Sound Beach
The Sound Beach Civic Association hosts a Memorial Day service at Veterans Memorial Park, New York Ave., Sound Beach on May 30 at noon. 631-744-6952
Stony Brook
VFW Post 3054 will host a Memorial Day ceremony at the Stony Brook Harbor Memorial (near Stony Brook Fire Department) on Main Street in Stony Brook Village on May 30 at 9 a.m. 631-751-5541
HONORING OUR FALLEN
Memorial Day Parades return to the North Shore on Monday including the one in Setauket along Main Street and Route 25A. File photo by Rita J. Egan 2019/TBR News Media
Thursday 26
Author Talk
In honor of ALS Awareness Month, Comsewogue Public Library, 170 Terryville Road, Port Jefferson will welcome local author Christine Pendergast for a discussion of the book Blink Spoken Here from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Copies of the book will be available for sale and signing at the event. Open to all. Call 928-1212 to register in advance.
Old Time Jam at Hallockville
Hallockville Museum Farm, 6038 Sound Ave., Riverhead invites the community to an Eastern Long Island Old Time Jam from 6 to 8 p.m. Free. Call 298-5292 for more information.
Atelier lecture
The Atelier at Flowerfield in St. James continues its online lecture series with Introduction to Freehand Airbrush Painting with Ross Barbera from 7 to 9 p.m. With a Spring crocus as his subject, Barbera will present a video demonstration to introduce viewers to the tools, techniques, and materials used when painting freehand with an airbrush. To register for this free webinar, visit www.theatelieratflowerfield.org/lectures.
Vanderbilt lecture
Suffolk County Vanderbilt Planetarium, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport hosts a lecture titled Long Island Estates of the Great Gatsby Era with best-selling author, architect, and historian Gary Lawrance at 7 p.m. Lawrance will introduce participants to the real Long Island mansions that inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald’s literary classic The Great Gatsby. Light refreshments will be served. Tickets are $10 per person. To register, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.
Friday 27
Birdwatch & Architecture Tour
Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport will host a Birdwatch and Architecture Tour today at 8 a.m. and again at 6:30 p.m. Explore the Vanderbilt Estate and its diverse bird species with the museum’s chief curator and learn about the Spanish Revival architecture of the mansion. . Tickets are $12 per person. Sturdy hiking footwear is strongly suggested and participants are asked to bring their own binoculars. Register at www.vanderbiltmuseum.org or call 854-5579.
Huntington YMCA Carnival
The Huntington YMCA, 60 Main St., Huntington will host its annual Memorial Day Weekend Carnival tonight from 6 to 10:30 p.m., May 28 and May 29 from 1 to 10:30 p.m., and May 30 from 1 to 6 p.m. featuring carnival rides, entertainment, food, games, and Dominguez Attractions as seen on America’s Got Talent. POP bracelets are $35 or individual ride tickets. Visit ymcali.org/carnival for more information.
Friday Night Coffee House
Celebrate St. James continues its Friday Night Coffee House series at the St. James Community Cultural Arts Center, 176 Second Street, St. James with singer/songwriter/musician Jill Decker playing acoustic guitar from 7 to 9 p.m. Coffee and refreshments will be served. Donation of $20, $15 seniors. Visit www.celebratestjames.org or call 984-0201 to register.
Poets in Port
Northport Arts Coalition hosts Poet In Port at the First Presbyterian Church, 330 Main St., Northport on the last Friday of every month at 7:30 pm. Featured poet this month will beDeborah Hauser, author of Ennui: From the Diagnostic and Statistical Field Guide of Feminine Disorders. All are welcome. Register for your free ticket through EventBrite. Visit www.northportarts.org for more info.
Friday Night Face-Off
Friday Night Face Off, Long Island’s longest running Improv Comedy Show, returns to Theatre Three’s Second Stage, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson tonight at 10:30 p.m. Using audience suggestions, FNFO pits two teams of improvisers against each other in an all-out championship! Recommended for ages16 and up, due to adult content. Tickets are $15 at the door only. Call 928-9100 for more information.
Saturday 28
Huntington YMCA Carnival
See May 27 listing.
Caumsett Hike
Join the staff at Caumsett State Historic Park Preserve, 25 Lloyd Harbor Road, Huntington for a Nature on the Move hike from 9:45 to 11:45 a.m. This slow to moderate 4 mile hike will include observations of the west side of the park including fields and woods. Adults only. $4 per person. Advance registration required by calling 423–1770.
Spring Village Craft Fair – This event has been postponed to June 4 due to the weather forecast.
Springtime is shopping time! The Smithtown Historical Society, 239 E. Main St., Smithtown will host a Spring Village Craft Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Over 125 exhibitors are expected featuring fine art, photography, textiles, jewelry, wood crafts, soft sculpture, home and garden decor, organic bath and body products, candles, gourmet foods, live music and food trucks. Free admission. Rain date is June 4. Call 846-1459.
Audubon Society Tree Fest
Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Road, Setauket hosts a Tree Fest by the Four Harbors Audubon Society from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come learn about and celebrate trees! Enjoy educational exhibits, face painting, native plant sale, DIY crafts and free tree seedlings. Free admission. Visit www.4has.org. See more on page B12.
Maritime History Walking Tour
Join the Three Village Historical Society for a maritime history walking tour titled Down the Ways, the Wooden Ship Eraat 4 p.m. Led by Historian Beverly C. Tyler, guests will learn about shipbuilders, ship captains, and families prominent in Setauket’s maritime history. The walking tour explores the Dyer’s Neck-East Setauket Historic Shipbuilding District where coast-wise and ocean-going ships were built and where these local families, lived, worked and died. You will see the carpenter shop where the construction planning took place and visit the area where completed ships wintered over and where the bones of these ships rest today. Tours leave from the Brookhaven Town Dock, 58 Shore Road, East Setauket. $20, $5 children under age 12. Walk-ins welcome, but reservations are strongly recommended by visiting www.tvhs.org. Walk-ins MUST pay in cash at the start of tour. For more information, call 751-3730.
Sunday 29
Huntington YMCA Carnival
See May 27 listing.
Port Jefferson Farmers Market
Get local! The Port Jefferson Farmer’s Market returns to Harborfront Park, 101 E. Broadway, Port Jefferson today and every Sunday through Nov. 13 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Purchase local produce, honey, bread and baked goods, plants and flower bouquets. Call 473-4724.
Street Painting Festival
East End Arts, 133 E. Main St., Riverhead will host the 26th annual Community Mosaic Street Painting Festival in Downtown Riverhead and in front of East End Arts from noon to 5 p.m. Featuring street painting for all ages and skill levels, live music, interactive art, a kids zone, craft and artisan Vendors, food trucks , fine arts sale, drum circle and dance and theatre performances. Free admission. Call 727-0900.
Ronkonkoma Street Fair
The Ronkonkoma Chamber of Commerce will host the 2022 Ronkonkoma Street Fair along Hawkins Avenue in Ronkonkoma on from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. featuring over 200 vendors with live entertainment, merchandise, food, children’s rides, arts and crafts and lots of fun for fall. Call 963-2796 for more info.
Grist Mill tours
The Stony Brook Grist Mill, 100 Harbor Road, Stony Brook will be open today and every Sunday through October from 1 to 4 p.m. Learn about the inner workings of the mill as it crushes grain into flour and hear about its 323 year history on a guided tour will a miller during guided tours and a visit the Country Store. Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for children. Cash only. For more information on the Stony Brook Grist Mill and for large group tours, call The Ward Melville Heritage Organization at 751-2244.
Monday 30
*See local Memorial Day parades and ceremonies at the bottom of the page.
Huntington YMCA Carnival
See May 27 listing.
Tuesday 31
No events listed for this day.
Wednesday 1
Cruise Night Car Show
It’s back! The Shoppes at East Wind, 5720 Route 25A, Wading River hosts a Cruise Night Car Show every Wednesday through Oct. 26 from 5 to 9 p.m. Visit the Shoppes, enjoy a bite to eat and then check out the fine array of classic cars in the parking lot. Call 929-3500.
Thursday 2
Stony Brook Walking Tour
Join the Ward Melville Heritage Organization for a Secrets of Stony Brook Village Walking Tour today at 11:50 a.m. or 3:50 p.m. Hear some newly uncovered stories while strolling through the village. $10 per person. Make your reservations by calling 751-2244.
Theater
‘Mamma Mia!’
Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson closes its 2021-2022 with Mamma Mia! from May 21 to June 25. ABBA’s timeless hits tell the enchanting story! On the eve of her wedding, a daughter’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother’s past back to the Greek island paradise they last visited twenty years ago. Featuring such chart toppers as “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” “Take a Chance on Me,” “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!,” and “Dancing Queen,” this is a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget. Contains adult themes and situations. Tickets are $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, $20 children ages 5 and older. To order, call 928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
‘Much Ado About Nothing’
The Carriage House Players continues its annual Shakespeare Festival at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum, 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport with Much Ado About Nothing from June 5 to June 26 on Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m. Performances take place outdoors on stage in the courtyard, where the Spanish-Mediterranean architecture adds a touch of timeless charm and magic. Bring a picnic dinner to enjoy before the show and bring your own lawn chair. Inclement weather cancels. Tickets are $20 adults, $15 seniors and children ages 12 and under. To order, visit www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.
‘Kinky Boots’
John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport presents Kinky Boots from May 19 to July 3. With songs by Cyndi Lauper and book by Harvey Fierstein, this dazzling, sassy and uplifting musical celebrates a joyous story, inspired by true life events, taking you from the factory floor of a men’s shoe factory to the glamorous catwalks of Milan! Tickets range from $75 to $80 with free valet parking. To order, call 261-2900 or visit www.engemantheater.com. Read review next week!
Vendors Wanted
◆ The Shoppes at East Wind, 5768 Route 25A, Wading River has vendor opportunities available for its upcoming outdoor Farmer’s Markets on June 18,July 16, Aug. 20 and Sept.17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 631-929-3500 x708 for an application.
◆ Commack United Methodist Church, 486 Townline Road, Commack seeks vendors for its Community Yard Sale on June 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fee is $25 per space. Tables are not supplied and the event is held rain or shine. Outdoor spaces are 10’ by 10’; indoor spaces 6’ by 6’. For additional information, call 631-499-7310 or email [email protected].
◆ Farmingville Hills Chamber of Commerce will host its 10th annual Farmingville Street Fair along Portion Road on June 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Interestedvendors can call 631-317-1738 or visit www.farmingvillechamber.com for an application.
◆ St. Thomas of Canterbury, 29 Brooksite Drive, Smithtown seeks craft or new merchandise vendors for its Craft Fair and Car Show on Oct. 8 (rain date is Oct. 15 for craft fair only). Visit www.stthomasofcanterbury.net or call 631-265-4520 to obtain an application or get more info.
Memorial Day parades/ceremonies
Pixabay photo
‘Remember those who served before.
Remember those who are no more.
Remember those who serve today.
Remember them all on Memorial Day.’
— Emily Toma
Centerport
The Centerport Fire Department will host a Memorial Day Parade on May 30 at 10 a.m. from Centershore Road, Harrison Drive, east on Mill Dam Road Centerport, southeast on Prospect Road, south on Little Neck Road.Ends at 9 Park Circle, Centerport followed by a ceremony at the memorial monuments in the park. 631-261-5916
Commack
VFW Elwood-Commack Post 9263 hosts a Memorial Day parade on May 30 at 10 a.m. Kick off is at the Home Depot parking lot at the intersection of Larkfield Road and Jericho Turnpike and head east on Jericho Turnpike to junction at Veterans Highway to Cannon Park for a ceremony. 631-368-9463
East Northport
Father Judge Council Knights of Columbus hosts the East Northport Memorial Day Parade with kick off on May 30 at 12:15 p.m. at Clay Pitts and Larkfield roads and proceed to John Walsh Memorial Park adjacent to Northport-East Northport Library. 631-262-1891
Greenlawn
Organized by the Greenlawn Fire Department, a Memorial Day parade will kick off on May 30 at 9 a.m. on East Maple Road, south on Broadway to Greenlawn Memorial Park, at the corner of Pulaski Road and Broadway. 631-261-9106
Kings Park
The 96th annual Kings Park Memorial Day Parade, sponsored by American Legion Post 944, will be held on May 30 at 9 a.m. Kick off is at the RJO School at Old Dock Road and Church Street to the Veterans Plaza at Route 25A for flag ceremonies. 631-269-4140
Northport
Organized by the Northport American Legion Post 694, the parade will begin at 10 a.m. on May 30 at Laurel Avenue School and proceed to the Northport Village Park. 631-261-4424
Huntington
The Town of Huntington will host a Memorial Day Wreath Ceremony on May 29 at Veterans Plaza on the front lawn of Huntington Town Hall at 100 Main Street at noon. Patriotic music will be performed by the Northport High School Choir. 631-351-3012
On May 30, a Memorial Day parade organized by Nathan Hale VFW Post 1469 and American Legion Post 360 will commence at 10 a.m. at West Neck Road and Gerard Street and head east on Main Street to Stewart Avenue in Huntington. 631-421-0535
Port Jefferson
On May 30, American Legion Wilson Ritch Post 432 will be performing a Memorial Day ceremony honoring and mourning the military personnel who have died in the performance of their military duties while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces at Port Jefferson Memorial Park, West Broadway, Port Jefferson. Call 631-473-9774 for the time.
St. James
A Memorial Day Parade organized by Sgt. John W. Cooke VFW Post 395 will be held on May 30 at 10 a.m. The parade steps off at the corner of Lake Avenue and Woodlawn Avenue and proceeds to St. James Elementary School for a ceremony. 631-862-7965
Setauket
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3054 will hold its annual Three Village Memorial Day Parade in Setauket on May 30 at 11 a.m. Parade starts at the corner of Main Street and Route 25A with an opening ceremony at the Village Green across from the library and a closing ceremony at Memorial Park along Route 25A. 631-751-5541
Smithtown
The Smithtown Fire Department will host a Memorial Day Parade on May 30 at noon. Kickoff is at the corner of Main Street and Singer Lane, continuing west on Main Street to Town Hall. 631-360-7620
Sound Beach
The Sound Beach Civic Association hosts a Memorial Day service at Veterans Memorial Park, New York Ave., Sound Beach on May 30 at noon. 631-744-6952
Stony Brook
VFW Post 3054 will host a Memorial Day ceremony at the Stony Brook Harbor Memorial (near Stony Brook Fire Department) on Main Street in Stony Brook Village on May 30 at 9 a.m. 631-751-5541
The local American Legion chapter has a lot going on this month.
The Wilson Ritch Post No. 432, founded in 1919, is asking Suffolk County veterans in the Port Jefferson and Port Jefferson Station area to join in their comradeship and dedication to their country’s heritage, history and constitution.
Earlier this week on Memorial Day, the members payed homage to fallen comrades at the Crowley Park in Port Jefferson Station and Port Jefferson’s Harborfront Park. The event was followed by a dedication of land to the post from the Prechtl family, and a raffle that has earned $1,000 for two scholarships of graduating Comsewogue seniors.
On Saturday, June 5, they will be hosting The Legion’s Convention of 46 county posts. Elected officials from the village, town and county are expected to speak.
On Tuesday, May 25, local nonprofit Hometown Hope gathered with members of the Port Jef-ferson Fire Department, as well as representatives from village and local government to honor three fallen heroes in honor of Memorial Day.
American flags were installed in front of Village Hall in memory of local residents David George Timothy Still, U.S. Navy; Honorary Chief Frederick J. Gumbus, U.S. Army Air; James Von Oiste, U.S. Marine and Belle Terre resident; and Victor Gronenthal, U.S. Army and the husband of a current resident.
Hometown Hope plans to add more flags each year to honor those local heroes who sacrificed their lives to protect our freedom.
Members from the Sound Beach Fire Department held their annual Memorial Day service. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Gone, but never forgotten.
In light of Memorial Day Monday, May 31, the Sound Beach Fire Department held their annual service to remember and mourn the losses of all the men and women who died in the name of freedom.
Chief Darran Handshaw said the department also uses the day to remember their brothers and sisters who are no longer here.
“Over the years, many organizations use this day, as we do, to remember and honor their own deceased members,” he said, addressing the crowd. “So today, the members of the Sound Beach Fire Department and our families, in our own way, observe Memorial Day.”
Handshaw added that this is the department’s 91st year. They wanted to remember and pay homage the members who helped build the foundation of the department that has been around for almost a century.
During the hour-long event, a dozen people sat inside the firehouse, as they listened to members read the names of nearly 50 people who impacted the department in one way or another.
Eight-year-old Rocky Point Cub Scout Mason Ulscheimer kicked off the event with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Family members of the deceased people came up to the podium to say the names of their loved ones, and tears were shed as the department’s honor roll was recited.
“We all should reflect on the freedoms we enjoy as Americans, and on those who die for those freedoms,” said Second Assistant Chief Alex Riley. “To any families of our fallen heroes who are here today, we say, ‘Thank you.’ We owe them and their loved ones our heartfelt gratitude and so much more.”
The event ended with Handshaw, Riley and First Assistant Chief Bill Rosasco placing a wreath at the department’s 9/11 memorial.
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EMT Mark Ulscheimer, First Assistant Chief Bill Rosasco, Mason Ulscheimer, Chief Darran Handshaw and Second Assistant Chief Alex Riley. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Members from the Sound Beach Fire Department held their annual Memorial Day service. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Members from the Sound Beach Fire Department held their annual Memorial Day service. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Mason Ulscheimer starts off the event with the pledge. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Members from the Sound Beach Fire Department held their annual Memorial Day service. Photo by Julianne Mosher
The LoRusso brothers at West Point Academy. Photo from family
“Always remember those service members that died on this day. They did not lose their lives, they gave their life to support the freedom of the American people,” John Fernandez, Shoreham resident.
These are the words of army veteran, 1996 Rocky Point High School and 2001 United States Military Academy graduate Fernandez on the meaning of this national holiday. A combat veteran that was severely wounded in Iraq, he has the constant reminders of his service to America. This local father of six children, recalls the sacrifices of his grandfathers, who both fought during World War II. The North Shore does not have to look far to understand the importance of Memorial Day through the experiences of our local citizens.
Gary Suzik, a resident of Rocky Point, served in the navy from 1963 to 1967. He has the unique experience of being stationed on naval ships that were off the coast of Vietnam, within the Mediterranean Sea, and during the Dominican Crisis in 1965.
Joseph Cognitore, Post 6249 Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander. Photo from family
Suzik was on the first crew to serve on the USS La Salle, where he operated the landing craft that were launched from this ship. While Suzik is a native of Michigan, the La Salle was built in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and it was launched for its duty in 1964. This Vietnam and Cold War veteran’s father fought during the Battle of the Bulge in December of 1944, and his three uncles were in the air force, army and marine corps during World War II.
Longtime resident of Miller Place and Wading River veteran Dan Guida was an army lieutenant. This 76-year-old member of Post 6249 Rocky Point Veterans of Foreign Wars was drafted into the army in 1966.Guida had extensive training as an armor officer at Fort Knox, Kentucky and he was deployed to South Vietnam between 1967 and 1968. He was stationed 50 miles south of Da Nang near the former border between these two warring nations.
Some 54 years ago, Guida vividly identified his time with I Corps in this war, as there were no days off against an enemy that was dangerous and willing to fight at every moment. As a tank platoon leader of tanks and armored personal carriers, Guida is proud of his time in uniform and is always pleased to be with his fellow “brothers in uniform” at Post 6249.
Pat Biglin had a vastly different military job than many of his fellow comrades at this post. From 1963 to 1967, Biglin was in the air force where he was stationed in Turkey, only 60 miles away from the former Soviet Union. As a young man, he spied on this communist Super Power on a base that was located on the Black Sea, that was situated in north eastern portion of this North Atlantic Treaty Organization power.
Biglin’s position was part of the security service that was made up of 1% of all members of the air force through its ability to analyze communication and intelligence transmissions from this former enemy.This special unit tracked every plane that took off within the Soviet Union and he broke coded messages that were sent directly to the National Security Agency. Always armed with a big smile and a can-do attitude, Biglin continues to serve Post 6249 as its military chaplain.
A resident from Middle Island Glenn Ziomek was a finance administrator that was sent to Frankfurt, Germany after the end of the Vietnam War. While this was a difficult period for this country after the loss of Vietnam, Ziomek recalled that the morale was good among American soldiers at this European army base.
Joseph Cognitore, Post 6249 Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander. Photo from family
He enjoyed the traveling throughout Germany and Austria, the culture of these countries, and personally speaking to these people. But he vividly remembered hostile anarchy that was created by the German terrorist group Baader Meinhof Gang that caused havoc near the American military bases.
For Ziomek, Memorial Day is a moment where he likes to think of his father who served in the navy during World War II and his uncle who survived the D-Day landings, who was later shot in the arm and wounded.
Since the creation of this republic, there has always been family ties of defense of this country. You do not have to look far to notice the strength of character of patriotism that is still demonstrated today by Tom and Ray Semkow. Like many families, their parents endured many stressful times, as these two sons were involved within continuous fighting over several years in South Vietnam.
A city boy that grew up on the Lower Eastside of Manhattan, Ray entered the United States Marine Corps in 1965. After he graduated from boot camp at Paris Island, South Carolina, he was sent to South Vietnam. Overseas, Ray was a mechanic and a door gunman that was attached to the I Corps out of Phu Bai, that was near the city of Hue.
Ray flew countless missions in the Quang Tri Province to pick up numerous casualties, where he helped bring them to safety for medical attention. He also conducted classified operations that saw him enter Laos to deter the enemies use of the Ho Chi Minh Trail that supplied the North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong with soldiers and supplies.
Before Tom was sent to Vietnam, he spent two weeks with his brother, who returned home from completing his duty in this war-torn country. In 1968, Tom was a combat medic in the army’s 5th Special Forces that was in the Mekong Delta during deadliest year of this war during the Tet Offensive.
Tom trained South Vietnamese soldiers and he identified the terrible losses amongst the civilians and the many children that were killed and wounded by booby-traps that were used by the Viet Cong.
On this Memorial Day, he thinks of the losses that were felt by his own men during the extremely dangerous days of Tet against the enemy. Both brothers still serve today through their devoted efforts of Post 6249 into making this community into a better place.
The LoRusso brothers at West Point Academy. Photo from family
Mike Biscardi is a younger member of Post 6249 that served in the army from 2009 to 2018. He was a military police officer that was attached to the 800th Military Police out of Fort Totten, New York, and the 305th that was in Wheeling, West Virginia.
This local veteran was sent to Bagram, Afghanistan and later to Germany through “Operation of the Atlantic” to monitor the Russian invasion of the Crimea, Ukraine. Most recently, Biscardi has been deployed to Jones Beach to help the New York Department of Health to administer the COVID-19 vaccination shots. On this Memorial Day, he recalls the military service of his good friend from Shoreham who had passed away. To remember this lost service member, he participates in the annual Michael P. Murphy four-mile race around Lake Ronkonkoma to honor his good friend.
And always next to these veterans from various conflicts and times within every branch of the military is Joseph A. Cognitore. This long-time commander of Post 6249, served in Vietnam as a platoon sergeant, that fought in Cambodia, and was awarded the Bronze Star.
Ever since the first Gulf War, Cognitore’s has always presented an iron will to help the veterans of this community, state and nation. On Memorial Day, Cognitore thinks of the army soldiers that fought with him at the end of the Vietnam War, and his own son — graduate of Rocky Point High School — Joseph Jr., that is currently serving as a colonel in the army.
Like that of the Semkow brothers, this part of the North Shore has a multitude of families that have seen their loved ones enter the military. Nicholas, Kevin, Brian and Larry LoRusso were talented athletes and all attended West Point where they played lacrosse.
Three of the brothers, Kevin, Brian and Larry served as platoon leaders within the field artillery and Nicholas was an engineer that also taught military sciences at this school. Currently, Nicholas is still in the army as a major, and was deployed to Iraq in 2009 and Afghanistan in 2012.
A former captain of the Army lacrosse team, Kevin served in Afghanistan in 2011. Three of the older brothers are married and they have started families of their own.
On this Memorial Day, Nicholas said, “I was able to come home, where other service members did not.On this date, I hug my kids a little tighter and give my wife an extra kiss.”
Kevin wants to remember his lost classmates and soldiers that he was deployed with overseas. He believed that these soldiers were the “true heroes” that he honors on this holiday.
A graduate of Rocky Point High School in 2013, Matthew N. Amoscato, attended the United States Maritime Academy at Kings Point, New York, graduating in 2018 with a degree in marine engineering.
Matthew Amoscatto. Photo from family
Right now, Amoscato is training to become a pilot in Pensacola, Florida and Corpus Christi, Texas. Currently he lives in Oklahoma, where he is undergoing survival training in Coronado, California. This pilot of E-6 B Mercury Boeing 707 military aircraft would like to thank all those men and women that have “carried the torch of duty” before his time in the navy.
Craig McNabb, a current Suffolk County Corrections Officer, and the son of a veteran that fought in Iraqi Freedom, believes there is more to Memorial Day than “BBQ’s and a shopping holiday.”
A graduate of Rocky Point High School in 2014, he was trained as a Protection Service Detail that ensured the security of high-ranking officers, and American and foreign political officials at Bagram and Kabul, Afghanistan. He personally escorted former Secretary of Defense leaders of Ash Carter and James Mattis.
McNabb was stationed in this tumultuous nation during a dangerous period of when the Taliban utilized explosives to strike fear and losses into the American military and the civilian population.
Rocky Point High School Social Studies Teacher Bill Weinhold spent several years in the United States Coast Guard before entering the classroom. This teacher and coach is the youngest veteran to be serving in this school district.
Weinhold remembers Memorial Day of 2010, “as my first military holiday in the service. I had been on my ship for several months at this point and was underway on the USCGC Naushon running fisheries enforcement missions. I remember the cool, rainy Southeast Alaskan spring day handling lines for the small boat we would launch to intercept fishing vessels to ensure they were acting in compliance with Alaskan and federal regulations.”
It is not difficult to see the positive influence of the Coast Guard on the daily routines that Weinhold presents to his students through his teaching and coaching abilities.
Thank you to those veterans that continue to make this nation extremely proud of their on-going service to defend the United States. Especially those graduates from the North Shore that have fought within every branch of the military.
Rocky Point High School students Madelynn Zarzychi and Sean Hamilton helped write this article.
Rich Acritelli is a social studies teacher at Rocky Point High School and an adjunct professor of American history at Suffolk County Community College.
A time honored tradition for Memorial Day, Long Island National Cemetery, 2040 Wellwood Ave., Farmingdale seeks volunteers to place American flags on veteran’s graves on May 27 at 8 a.m. and to return to the cemetery on June 1 at 8 a.m. to remove the flags. No registration required. For more info, call 631-454-4949.
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