Elmhurst to pay homage to those who serve
After 99 Memorial Day parades, honoring and remembering veterans is more than a tradition in Elmhurst. It's become a community responsibility.
Organizers of the 100th annual Memorial Day Parade say businesses, organizations and the city government are coming together to make Monday's procession through downtown a reality.
"The whole community is involved with the parade - not just the veterans organizations," said Ralph Pechanio, co-chairman of the parade committee. "It means a great deal to the community."
This year's procession is presented by the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Elmhurst American Legion T.H.B. Post 187, Veterans of Foreign Wars Villa Park Post 2801, the city and Elmhurst Park District.
John Quigley, parade committee co-chairman, said the parade and a military ceremony at the Veterans Memorial in Wilder Park will give attendees the opportunity to reflect on our freedoms.
"It's a nice time to come out as a family on that morning and say 'thank you' to all those who have served their country," said Quigley, who also is president and CEO of the chamber of commerce.
The parade - which will be led by Grand Marshal Mark R. Mallon, a medal-winning colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves - steps off at 9:30 a.m. Monday from York Road and Third Street.
More than 90 entries will march in the parade, including color guards, retired military officers, members of American Legion Post 187 and VFW Post 2801, costumed Civil War re-enactors, Scout troops and bands. The parade also will feature military vehicles and equipment representing five fire departments.
The sirens on the fire trucks will be kept silent.
"There are no sirens, horns or anything like that on Memorial Day," Pechanio said. "There's traditional music, but there's no noise-making by any of the units."
More than 10,000 people are expected to line the streets of downtown to watch.
Starting from Third Street, the procession goes south on York Street to Second Street, then east on Robert Palmer Drive through the underpass and west back to York. The parade then goes south on York to Church Street, west on Church to Prospect Avenue and north on Prospect past the Veterans Memorial in Wilder Park.
The parade takes about an hour and a half.
It will be followed around 11 a.m. with the 26th annual post-parade military ceremony at the Veterans Memorial. It will feature Mayor Steve Morley and other guest speakers, along with the laying of wreaths and a traditional three-round volley.
Patriotic music will be performed by the Antioch Brass Quintet and bagpiper Brian Costello of the Shannon Rovers, and sung by the Men of Spirito. The names of Elmhurst-area veterans who died since Veterans Day 2017 will be read aloud in remembrance.
American Legion Post 187, with assistance from Elmhurst College's Lamda Chi Alpha fraternity members, is placing four rows of 65 white crosses next to the Veterans Memorial with the names of deceased Elmhurst veterans who served during World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam, Persian Gulf War and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Today, True Patriots Care will place more than 1,600 flags in Wilder Park to honor Vietnam POWs and MIAs.
The flags will be attached to poles in perfect rows and columns in the park. Each flag will have a tag with a soldier's name. They will be in alphabetical order by the soldiers' names.
"There's a solemnity to it that these flags are tied to people who have served in a most meaningful way," Quigley said.
The display, which will be illuminated after dusk, will be open to the public until Tuesday morning.