UPDATED May 24, 10:00pm:
Due to the poor weather, the Memorial Day parade has been cancelled. The Memorial Day Ceremony will be held indoors at the Locust Avenue Firehouse, second floor, starting at 10:00 a.m. On Memorial Day, May 25th, 2026.
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The City of Rye will carry on its tradition of honoring military personnel who died while in service to their country on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, 2026, at Rye City Hall immediately following the Memorial Day parade. The Rye American Legion Post Auxiliary is organizing the parade down Purchase Street which will feature Legionnaires, marching bands, cyclists, classic cars, Rye’s Boys and Girls Scouts, Rye school groups and local government officials.
The parade begins at 9:30 am at the train station and ends at City Hall. The ceremony will take place on the village green. American Legion Post 128 Commander Fred de Barros will lead the ceremony. Mayor Josh Nathan, US Congressman George Latimer, NYS Senator Shelley Mayer and NYS Assemblyman Steve Otis are expected to offer welcoming remarks and greetings.
Principal Speaker
This year’s principal speaker is Joshua Gaccione, director, Westchester County Veterans Service Agency. Gaccione brings over two decades of experience in military operations, higher education, and local governance to his role. A U.S. Army veteran and paratrooper, Gaccione served in the 82nd Airborne Division. His military career included two combat deployments during the early stages of the Global War on Terrorism: Afghanistan in 2002 and Iraq in 2003. Having served as an enlisted soldier and earning the rank of Sergeant, Gaccione’s firsthand experience in the field informs his lifelong mission to support veterans.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Rhode Island and a Master of Arts from Brooklyn College. He is currently a PhD candidate, focusing his dissertation on the evolution of veteran service organizations, bridging historical research with modern advocacy. As an adjunct instructor at SUNY Westchester Community College (WCC) and Lehman College, Gaccione teaches courses in English and history. A champion for student veterans, he created and taught a specialized College Success class designed specifically to help transitioning veterans navigate the unique challenges of moving from the battlefield to the classroom.
Before his appointment to lead the County Veterans Service Agency in 2025, Joshua spent twelve years overseeing the veterans program at SUNY WCC, ensuring student veterans received the resources and mentorship necessary to thrive. Beyond his professional roles, Gaccione serves as a Village Trustee for the Village of Tuckahoe, and as a board member for Volunteer New York and the Eastchester Veterans Foundation.
Americanism Award
The Rye American Legion Americanism Award will be presented to Rye resident Laura Pellegrini. Pellegrini has led emergency supply drives—mobilizing donations and volunteers after local flooding and again following the California wildfires. She is a role model as a parent, family member, and community advocate, with a steady commitment to her values. She also supported her son Marc’s Eagle Scout service project to place veterans’ flags at the cemetery—a reminder that while scouts lead these efforts, mothers often provide the support that makes them possible.
In Rye, she has helped launch and grow the community’s reverse Advent baskets, partnering with Rye Troop 2. She has also been an active presence in local schools while raising four sons from kindergarten through graduation. She taught religious education at Resurrection Church for many years. In her work at Greenwich Hospital radiology, she continues to guide patients through mammograms and other challenging tests with steady support.
Legionnaire Terry McCartney will read the Roll of Honor. Legionnaire Tim Moynihan will read the “Oldham Letter”. Rev. Matt Stone of Christ’s Church, Rye will lead the Invocation. The John M. Kingery Memorial Day Essay Contest Award will be presented to the Rye High School student who submitted the winning essay on “What Memorial Day Means to Me.” The ceremony will include the traditional recitation of the Gettysburg Address by a student from Resurrection School. The program will also include recognition of a Rye Eagle Scouts. Robin Latimer, president of the Rye American Legion Auxiliary will sing patriotic songs. Michael Talbott from Rye High School will play Taps.
