Memorial Day 2019: A Day of Reflection in Garden City

Residents proudly lined the streets to honor the war dead on Monday, May 27, 2019. Under the auspices of William Bradford Turner Post 265, the American Legion Auxiliary and the Kiwanis Club of Garden City, the annual parade and ceremony took place under beautiful skies.

The parade disbanded at the War Memorial on Seventh Street where keynote speakers joined residents in honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Post Commander Frank Tauches, Jr. welcomed all those in attendance, including this year’s Grand Marshal, Ian Sage Donley, Petty Officer First Class, United States Navy. Born in the Village, he joined the Navy at the age of 19 and has served for the last 12 years. He served in two combat deployments in 2017 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and is currently responsible for the upkeep and rework of 12 F/A-18 Super Hornets.

“Both my grandfather and grandmother on my Mom’s side served during World War II. My grandfather, Jim Donley, was a sergeant in the Army and landed on Omaha beach on D-Day, fought and was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded the Purple Heart. John F. Kennedy once said, ‘I can imagine a no more rewarding career. And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worth while, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction and say ‘I served in the United States Navy.’”

Joan Nedelka, long time president of the American Legion Auxiliary, said two words define Memorial Day - dedication and devotion. She recognized the fallen heroes who have died to keep America free, the veterans who returned home wounded physically and/or psychologically such as the 30 members of Ward 8A in the Northport VA Medical Center and members of the Armed Forces currently serving as they are the veterans of the future.

“The profusion of poppies supplied by the Auxiliary and the Post and the 1,500 American flags so generously donated by the Garden City Kiwanis Club are testimony to the real meaning of today. They symbolize the dedication and devotion of so many whose sacrifices and effort have preserved our American way of life,” Ms. Nedelka said.

Drummers Daniel Hernandez-Arroyo and Ioakim Marinos from the Garden City High School Band assisted Commander Tauches as he read aloud the names of the war dead who served during World Wars I and II, the Korean War, Vietnam and Iraq. Buglers Tyler Glenn and Jimmy Wu, also from the Garden City High School Band, played Taps.

Mayor Theresa Trouvé marched alongside Trustees Mark Hyer, John Delany and Colleen Foley. She addressed the crowd at the ceremony that immediately followed: “We pause in gratitude to pay tribute to those who gave their lives to protect us from harm. They purchased in a sense our cherished freedom with their lives. We stand every year and think of them with a deep pride. Those who perished deserve nothing less,” she said. “We must safeguard the legacy of our service members so that our children and grandchildren will understand the sacrifices that our Armed Forces willingly made.”