Golden’s Bridge Fire Department's Memorial Day Tradition Returns

GOLDEN'S BRIDGE, NY — A highly anticipated annual tradition is back in full force and the Golden's Bridge Fire Department wants you to be part of the celebrations.

The Golden’s Bridge Fire Department will hold its annual Memorial Day festivities and local veterans, organizations and residents are invited to participate in the line of march.

A community parade — in which children are encouraged to ride festively-decorated bicycles, a wreath-laying ceremony and breakfast will be part of the Memorial Day festivities hosted by the Golden’s Bridge Fire Department on Monday, May 29.

The parade will culminate with a dramatic ceremony, as members of the community will be selected to join firefighters in placing a memorial wreath at the historic, four-ton granite American Legion monument situated outside the front entrance of the Golden’s Bridge Firehouse. Firefighters will read the names of the 76 Golden’s Bridge residents engraved on the pair of bronze plaques affixed to the monument that memorialize their service in World Wars I and II.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, all participants and attendees will be invited into the apparatus bay of the firehouse for a light breakfast of bagels, muffins, donuts, juice, coffee and other refreshments.

Local organizations are encouraged to sign up with a contingent of participants for the line of march by contacting the Golden’s Bridge Fire Department public information officer by phone, 914-403-4072, or email, pub3634@gmail.com. All residents and military veterans who live in the fire district are invited to participate.

"We are asking Golden’s Bridge residents to participate in this community event in observance of those who died in military service to our country. Memorial Day, originally called 'Decoration Day,' is a time-honored tradition whose roots date back to the post-Civil War era, when Americans decorated the graves of fallen soldiers with memorials of flowers, wreaths and flags," said Joseph Simoncini, chief organizer of the Memorial Day festivities who is a longtime firefighter and also serves as Fire Commissioner of the Golden’s Bridge Fire District.

"It’s a wonderful way to start your Memorial Day – coming to the Golden’s Bridge Firehouse and joining your friends, neighbors, and Firefighters to honor our war deceased, especially those who lived in Golden’s Bridge and whose names are forever etched in history on the magnificent monument under the care of the Golden’s Bridge Fire Department," Simoncini added.

Participants in the line of march will gather at 9:30 a.m. at the step-off point on Todd Hill Circle in the Brady’s Farm development (off Rt. 138, just beyond the firehouse). The parade will kick off at 10:00 a.m. Residents who want to participate as spectators should arrive at the firehouse by 9:30 a.m. to be in place to greet the fire trucks, contingent of uniformed firefighters bearing the American flag, and other participants as they turn into the GBFD parking lot.

As part of the wreath-laying ceremony, Golden’s Bridge Fire Department members will share the honor of reading the names of the 76 Golden’s Bridge residents engraved on the bronze plaques of the granite monument. The observance will also include a flag ceremony and tolling of the fire bell for two minutes. A local teen, Kaeleigh Picco, will sing the National Anthem. GBFD officials will greet the gathering of residents and participants and present brief remarks before everyone is invited to breakfast and refreshments.