Naperville Memorial Day to feature short parade, ceremonies at local memorials

The Naperville Memorial Day Parade Committee has announced that members of VFW Post 3873, American Legion Post 43, and the Naperville Municipal Band will again conduct Memorial Day observances on Monday, May 31.

The day's events will begin at 9 a.m. with a short parade featuring military veterans. It will start at the VFW Post and end at the Naperville Riverwalk's Dandelion Fountain on Jackson Avenue. No spectators will be allowed on the north side of Jackson Avenue.

All spectators must be on the south side of Jackson Avenue.

There will be a brief memorial ceremony followed by additional ceremonies between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. at various military memorials around town including the Commander Dan Shanower September 11 Memorial on the Naperville Riverwalk; the historic Naperville Cemetery, 705 S. Washington St.; Veterans Park, 303 E. Gartner Road; Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery, 911 North Ave.; and World War I memorial at Burlington Square, 307 N. Ellsworth St.

The day's activities will culminate at noon with a Memorial Day Observance Ceremony at Central Park, 104 E. Benton Ave.

They are asking residents to observe Memorial Day this year by taking time to remember the significance of the day and to teach youth that it is about more than barbecues, pool openings, and parades. They also encourage you to participate in the National Moment of Remembrance by observing one minute of silence at 3 p.m. for the many military veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives in service to the nation, including the 114 residents of Naperville that died while on active duty.

Participating Naperville's veterans organizations include: Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873 (www.napervfw3873.org) and American Legion American Legion Post 43 (www.naperlegion.org)

Visit www.napervillememorialdayparade.com. Questions regarding the Naperville Memorial Day Parade may be directed to napermemorialdayparade@gmail.com.