Martha Boonshaft: Our Veterans Are Our Families

“Our veterans are our families. They served their country, and you are here today to be of service to your country,” Martha Boonshaft, Garden City Middle School marching band director, told her band members at the annual Memorial Day parade held to honor the brave men and women who offered their lives in defense of America’s freedoms.

With assistance from Jennifer Iovino, assistant band director and a host of parent volunteers, the band, 200 members strong, formed at the middle school and prepared itself for the hour-long parade along a route lined with town residents.

The theme of the march was “Our Veterans are our Families.” Eight veterans with service in WW II, Korea, Vietnam and Iraqi Freedom marched with their family members who were part of the Garden City Middle School Marching Band. They were Susie and Lindsey DuPont with dad MGYSGT James DuPont, U.S. Marine Corps-2 tours in Iraq; Col. Kenneth Storz, US Army-Iraq; Alessia Merritts with grandmother Mrs. Meris Merritts marching for her husband who was a U.S. Army doctor in Vietnam; Caroline Allen, granddaughter of both James Heavey, U.S. Army-Korean conflict and Burto Allen, U.S. Air Forces-WWII; Elizabeth Malaszczyk with great grandfather John Stubel, U.S. Army Air Corp- WWII Pacific Theater; Peter Levchuck with grandfather Alexander Levchuck, U.S. Army –Korea; and Isabel Megale with Joe Megale Sr., U.S. Army-Korean conflict.

The band color guard carried a special banner that read “OUR VETERANS ARE OUR FAMILIES.” Along the parade route, the soldiers were applauded and thanked for their sacrifices and service to their country by the thousands of residents who watched the parade.

The parade was led by the William Bradford Turner Post 265, American Legion, led by Cmdr. John Donovan, who conducted a service at the newly erected monument to all of our war veterans to the east of the Garden City Library where the reviewing stand was placed. Also participating in the parade were the Garden City High School Marching Band, directed by Brandon Psenicka; Stratford Elementary School Band, led by Karen Glickman; Stewart Elementary School Band, conducted by Peter Stanganelli; Boy and Girl Scouts, Cubs and Brownies and antique autos and the Garden City Fire companies.

Prior to the service, the middle school band saluted servicemen with a special performance of the Armed Forces Military Medley.

(Editor's Note: Martha Boonshaft, Garden City Middle School Marching Band director, wrote this article.)