Once again, the City of Rye will carry on its tradition of honoring its deceased veterans on Memorial Day on Monday, May 30.
Rye American Legion Post 128 and the Auxiliary will sponsor a parade, beginning at the Rye Train Station at 9:30 a.m. and proceeding along Purchase Street to the Village Green for ceremonies at 10:30 a.m.
(PHOTO: Rye's Memorial Day Parade 2015.)
The public is invited to enjoy the exciting and historic horse-drawn Wells Fargo stagecoach from Wells Fargo Bank, the Larchmont Historical Society's 1928 antique firetruck, the Jay Heritage Center's horse-drawn hay wagon, marching bands and participating organizations, scouts and schools. The Rye Historical Society will provide horses and riders. Unique antique cars will also travel the parade route.
At 10:30 a.m., American Legion Post 128 Commander Fred de Barros will begin the formal ceremony on the Village Green. Fr. Joe Lim from the Church of the Resurrection will offer the opening prayer in remembrance of all deceased soldiers. City Council member Terence McCartney will greet guests and the keynote speaker will be Rabbi Dr. Robert Rothman, former spiritual leader of the Rye Community Synagogue. Other speakers include Sen. George Latimer and Westchester County Legislator Catherine Parker. Members of the Rye City Council and the Rye Board of Education will also be in attendance.
The annual Americanism Award will be presented to Lauren Dempsey, president of the Rye High School Adopt a US Soldier Club, and Marie Carlucci, adviser for the program.
The ceremony features the traditional reading of the Gettysburg Address and the reading of the names of those from Rye who fought and perished in the wars of the 20th century. The John M. Kingery Memorial Day Essay Contest Award will be presented to Rye High School student Adam Chen and runners-up Julia Laber and James Cronin.
The program also includes the recognition of Eagle Scouts David Schindler and Casimir Harshbarger.
Robin Latimer, president of the American Legion Auxiliary will sing the National Anthem and God Bless America.
Prior to the parade, members of the Rye Fire Department will conduct a brief ceremony and lay flowers at the monument in the circle at Milton Road and Grace Church Street at 8:15 a.m. The monument honors Rye firefighters who served their nation.
The public is invited to attend the parade and all ceremonies.
With the upcoming Memorial Day of remembrance, please take the time to reflect on the way in which WWII Hero Robert W. Schubert was treated for years by the Mayor and City Council members in the municipality of which he lived. Follow Bob’s story below as it intertwines in the upcoming documentary film Hen Island:
While Ray Tartaglione was publicly confronting the Rye City Council over neglected environmental enforcement issues on Hen Island, former World War II hero and longtime well respected Rye resident Bob Schubert appeared before the Council numerous times with a similar request.
As a result of an UN-permitted construction project on an upstream neighboring property, Bob’s pond dried up and his award winning wetlands garden was destroyed. City Hall refused to enforce its wetlands codes (in an effort to selectively save a Rye political donor $100,000 dollars or more in permitting, environmental consulting and construction fees)
As Rye residents appeared in droves at City Council meetings supporting Bob’s efforts and protesting the City’s treatment of the senior citizen, the City responded by trying to silence Bob in order to avoid municipal embarrassment.
The City called the psychiatric unit of the Westchester County Medical Center in an attempt to have Bob evaluated and committed. When that failed, former City Manager Scott Pickup claimed that Bob had threatened his life and the life of then-Councilwoman now-County Legislator Catherine Parker. The third and final attempt to silence Bob Schubert occurred in the final months of his life after he entered City Hall to view a public wetlands map located on the wall. Bob was charged by police and prosecuted.
Bob Schubert’s story is interwoven into the tale of Hen Island with “dirty pool politics”, municipal corruption, and political agendas competing against the extraordinary power of ordinary people who fight for what they believe in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUVL7Q9QFs1lThhw9-1_cCXw&v=BllMY7KtS0Y
Ray,
Some day Pickup and Parker, along with anyone else who participated in the atrocities against Mr. Schubert, will have to explain their actions to a much higher authority. They may all wind up dancing with the devil.
Otis
Connors
Shew
Plunkett
Wilson