Haddonfield Observes Memorial Day with a Parade and Solemn Ceremony

Members of Haddonfield American Legion Post 38 invite residents to join them today in observing Memorial Day.

The Post will conduct its Annual Memorial Day Parade stepping off promptly at 10 a.m. The parade will form up with its forward position at Kings Highway and Chestnut Street facing toward Haddonfield Memorial High School. The parade will end at the high school where a memorial service will be conducted.

The parade will include the Post 38 color guard and members of the post, the high school marching band, the mayor and commissioners, the Girl Scouts, Boy Scout troops 64 and 65 and Cub Scout Packs 64 and 65, the Jack Schweiker Composite Unit of the Civil Air Patrol, an apparatus of Haddon Fire Co. No. 1 and the Ambulance Association.

This is a special year. It's the 100th Anniversary of the Girl Scouts. The Haddonfield Girl Scout Service Unit, under the auspices of Shelly Castorino, is expect 100 Girl Scouts, current members, alumni scouts and volunteer leaders, to help celebrate the Girl Scout Centennial in this year's parade.

After the parade, a memorial service will be held at the war memorial in front of the high school.

The memorial service will honor the fallen men and women of nine wars, from the American Revolution to the present-day conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. The service will include normal military honors, a chaplain’s prayer by Pastor Wayne Zschech; remarks by the Post 38 Commander, D.W. Janszky, and Mayor Tish Colombi; a historical rendition by President Lincoln (Christian Johnson), placement of flags for each war by memorial service flag presenters including the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Daughters of 1812 and the Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic; a reading of “In Flanders Fields” by the HMHS Honor Society; and music by the pick-up band. Refreshments, donated anonymously, will be served following the service.