152nd Memorial Day Parade Set In Freehold Borough: See Details

FREEHOLD BOROUGH, NJ — Elected officials, residents, visitors, and Veterans of the Armed Forces will gather at Elks Point at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, May 25, to honor those who died in service to the U.S. as Freehold Borough begins its annual commemoration of Memorial Day.

Former Borough Councilman George Schnurr will serve as the master of ceremonies for the Service of Reflection.

“I am deeply honored to be asked by the Mayor and Council and the Memorial Day Parade Committee to be the master of ceremonies for the Service of Reflection,” Schnurr said.

“The traditional Elks Point Service of Reflection is held in memory of all Freehold and other American servicemen and servicewomen who lost their lives defending our nation,” he continued. “Every one of our veterans and the ones who made the ultimate sacrifice represented by the crosses and Stars of David at Elks Point has honored us through their brave commitment to our country.”

Following the Service of Reflection, the borough’s 152nd Memorial Day Parade will begin at 9:45 a.m. at Brinckerhoff Avenue and West Main Street.

A horse-drawn caisson wagon transporting a casket covered by an American flag will be accompanied by military personnel as it heads down the parade route, Borough Councilman and Parade Committee Liaison Adam Reich said.

At 10 a.m., representatives of local Veteran organizations will begin their march along Main Street, followed by the rest of the parade participants.

Everyone is invited to visit Freehold Borough and to line up along West Main, Murray, and Schanck Streets to view the parade.

According to Councilman Reich, the Borough’s Memorial Day parade is the state’s longest, continuously running parade of its kind.

“The Freehold Memorial Day parade is one of the signature events of our community,” Reich said. “When this parade honoring our servicemen and servicewomen started, there were only 37 states in our nation. It is as old as the Kentucky Derby and is the 11th-oldest parade in the country!”

The lead veteran organization for this year’s parade is the Oglensky-Jackson Post #359 of the Jewish War Veterans of Freehold. This year’s theme, as decided by the Parade Committee, is “Celebrating 250 Years of American Independence.”

Reich said the Grand Marshal, as selected in honor of the Oglensky-Jackson Post #359, will be Captain Ron Reich, an Army veteran who was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone.

About Ron Reich

Ron Reich began his military career in 1970 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army after graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on a four-year ROTC scholarship.

Following a short tour at Fort Benning and the Infantry Officer Basic Course, he spent four years stationed in the Republic of Panama.

During his overseas service, he held several leadership roles, including platoon leader in the 4th Battalion 10th Infantry, Executive Officer of the US Army South Chemical Office, and operations officer for USARSO.

He returned to the United States in 1974 with the rank of Captain and was assigned to the 197th Infantry Brigade at Fort Dix, where he served as the Brigade’s Chemical Office commander and an operations officer.

He retired from the Regular Army in 1976 and concluded his service with two years in the Ready Reserve at Fort Kilmer.

After his military service, Reich pursued a diverse career in medical sales and marketing while earning an MBA and eventually a law degree from Seton Hall in 1987.

He operated his own law practice in Freehold for 15 years, specializing in Family Law and Bankruptcy, before retiring in 2025.

Beyond his professional work, he has been a deeply involved community leader in Freehold Borough, serving 13 years on the Board of Education, a founder of the Freehold Borough Educational Foundation, and coaching local soccer for a decade.

He also held leadership roles with Downtown Freehold and the Friends of the Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center.

Reich has lived in Freehold Borough with his wife, Lynn — who is also active in local public service: a former councilwoman, a founder of the Freehold Borough Educational Foundation, a Trustee on the Friends of the Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center, among many other roles — since 1975.

His two children attended Freehold Borough public schools and Freehold High School.

Their son, Adam, is a local architect and a three-term member of the Freehold Borough Council. He also served on the Freehold Borough Board of Education.

Their daughter, Amanda, is the Director of Project Management for a NYC-based advertising agency.

Parade Information

“The parade has grown exponentially over the years under the direction of our many dedicated volunteers, most notably Memorial Day Parade Committee chairperson Alice McCobb and vice-chair Amanda McCobb, without whom, the parade would not be as grand and as momentous as it is today,” Reich said. “Freehold Borough’s Mayor and Council would like to thank them, and all the members of the Memorial Day Parade Committee, for all their hard work and dedication throughout the entire year.”

“We would also like to thank the Freehold Fire Department, EMS, Department of Public Works, and the Police Department for helping us get Freehold Borough ready for the parade,” he continued. “They do a tremendous job making Freehold beautiful and coordinating the various law enforcement agencies that assist us on Memorial Day.”

Residents of all ages from all communities are invited to attend the Memorial Day parade.

Parade goers should be aware that there will be road closures along and around the parade route starting at 6:00 a.m., and there will be a No Parking Ordinance in effect along the same streets from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.

However, there will be free parking available:

• In the Market Yard parking lot off Center and Mechanic Streets
• In the McGackin Triangle lot off South Street
• In the Monmouth County Hall of Records Annex parking lot off East Main and Lafayette Streets
• In an auxiliary lot on Lafayette Street behind the Hall of Records Annex parking lot

The Memorial Day Parade Committee is also hosting Father Alphonse Stevenson and the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea on Saturday, May 16, in celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The concert will be at the First Presbyterian Church of Freehold (118 W. Main Street) at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $45/person and can be purchased through their partner organization at www.DowntownFreehold.com.

There will be a shuttle bus transferring concert goers from the Lafayette Street Lot and the Park Avenue Complex before and after the show.

“This orchestra delivers a powerhouse performance that blends technical brilliance with soulful storytelling,” borough officials said. “There is something for everyone to enjoy!”