Numerous area groups participated in the parade, including Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts. Photo by Anna Gustafson
Samuel Mantilla, left, of the Queens Chapter of Disabled American Veterans; Nancy Rivera, the New York State Disabled Veterans of America chapter commander; parade commander Dan Wisotsky; and Grand Marshal Charles Dunn gather at the Ridgewood Veterans Triangle for Monday’s opening ceremonies. Photo by Anna Gustafson
The 76th annual Memorial Day parade sponsored by the Allied Veterans’ Memorial Committee of Ridgewood and Glendale drew thousands of people to Myrtle Avenue Monday, when veterans, civic leaders, elected officials, and other residents paid tribute to the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country: their lives.
Everyone from the very young to the very old lined Myrtle Avenue, waving American flags and cheering on the marchers as they traveled from the Ridgewood Memorial Triangle, where Monday’s event kicked off, to the Glendale Veterans Triangle, where the ending ceremony was held.
Desiree Wisotsky, center at microphone, sings the National Anthem as Master of Ceremonies Russell Goeller, left, Assemblyman Cathy Nolan, state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr., Grand Marshal Charles Dunn, and retired U.S. Army Major General Evo Riguzzi salute the Ridgewood War Memorial, dedicated to military men and women who lost their lives in battle. Photo by Anna Gustafson
The Allied Veterans’ Memorial Committee, which is made up of six area organizations, honored Charles Dunn, a Korean War veteran and a longtime Ridgewood resident, as the parade’s grand marshal.
“I got married in 1951, we had our honeymoon in upstate New York, and then I had a second honeymoon on Parris Island,” Dunn laughed, referring to the U.S. Marine recruiting depot in South Carolina.
Following his service from 1951 to 1953 in the Korean War, Dunn and his wife moved to Ridgewood in 1954 – to a $45-a-month apartment where the only heat was in the kitchen.
“You got up in the morning and dressed fast,” said Dunn, who went on to serve in the New York Police Department for decades.
A veteran salutes the Ridgewood War Memorial during the parade’s opening ceremony. Photo by Anna Gustafson
Like many of the veterans present, Dunn stressed the importance of remembering those no longer here.
“I believe there are others much more deserving than I,” Dunn said humbly in reference to being named the grand marshal.
Speaking to the crowd Monday, retired U.S. Army Major General Evo Riguzzi urged veterans – and all residents – to continue honoring the military men and women who have died, particularly at such events as Memorial Day parades.
Retired U.S. Army Major General Evo Riguzzi spoke during the parade about the importance of attending events that honor those who have given their lives for their country. Photo by Anna Gustafson
“Don’t stop coming to these,” Riguzzi said. “Keep coming to these things until it’s your day to be memorialized.”
The groups that make up the Allied Veterans Memorial Committee of Ridgewood and Glendale are: the Sgt. Edward Miller Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7336, the VFW Post 123, the Glendale American Legion Post 104, the Brewery-Keenan-Heisser American Legion Post 1815, the Lt. Alfred Lucia Disabled American Veterans Chapter 118, and the Joseph B. Garity American Legion Post 562.
By Anna Gustafson
Some of the marchers got a bit of a boost when it came to having to traverse the entire route. Photo by Anna Gustafson
A marcher entertains those lining the street to catch a glimpse of the parade. Photo by Anna Gustafson
Community Board 5, like many area organizations, was well represented. Photo by Anna Gustafson
Marching band members got many rounds of applause from the crowd. Photo by Anna Gustafson
Many of the younger residents attending the parade could hardly contain their excitement as the parade passed by them. Photo by Anna Gustafson
Retired U.S. Army Major General Evo Riguzzi, left, Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, and U.S. Rep. Grace Meng march down Myrtle Avenue. Photo by Anna Gustafson
