The City of Newburgh celebrated Memorial Day with flags waving, men and women in uniform marching, service vehicles with lights flashing and bands playing as they marched down Broadway.

Rebecca Losinno, joined by her son, Onyx, watched as the trucks, men and women in uniform and local groups paraded in the city. “It feels great [to be here],” Losinno said. Losinno shared that her father, who had passed, had served in the United States Air Force. Today, he was on her mind.

For Losinno, she is grateful to be back and enjoying the parade and shared that she hopes her neighbors have the opportunity to come and do more work within the community and veterans. “Go out, support in any way you can,” Losinno said.

Raymond Hart shared he has been coming to the city parade for about a decade. “It brings the people together. If you take a good look at all the people that are here today, you can see everybody’s happy, having a good time. It’s beautiful out. You got the firemen, the police, the military,” said Hart.

Hart shared that his father had served in the United States Navy and appreciates his service and sacrifice for America. He shares this message with the public reflecting on Memorial Day: “Keep in memory all the men and women of the armed forces that lost their last breath for our nation,” said Hart.

As the parade neared lower Broadway, the parade turned left onto Liberty Street and completed its journey at Washington’s Headquarters. Immediately following the parade, city residents joined together for the placing of a wreath and the flying of the American flag.

Denniston, who served as Master of Ceremonies for the service, shared that his uncle who passed in 2009 and who had served in the Vietnam War, was in his thoughts today.

Seeing all the people that came out for the parade made Denniston very happy with the work and preparation. “This is a very special holiday for us [The City of Newburgh], maybe more than even some other holidays because of the history of Newburgh,” said Denniston.

Denniston led the gathered crowd and shared several words of reflection on Memorial Day followed by Father William Damroth of Sacred Heart Church who prayed an invocation. Matthew Weigman, Lynette Scherer and Karen Monti raised and lowered the flag followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The Anthem Choir of the AME Zion Church performed the Star Spangled Banner followed by a moment of silence, remembering the veterans and those who had died in Texas and Buffalo.

Denniston, joined by Mayor Torrance Harvey, placed a wreath donated by Keith Hallock and other Hudson Valley motorcyclists at a grave marker near the flagpole.

Grand Marshal Robert Lare was also recognized by Denniston during the course of the ceremony along with elected officials and guests in attendance that included Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson, Mayor Torrance Harvey, Councilman Omari Shakur, Councilwoman Patricia Sofokles and Newburgh-Highland Falls NAACP President Ray Harvey, Chairman Bruce Lubkeman and guest speaker Honorable Judge Jeffrey Werner. The singing of the hymn God Bless America and a final benediction concluded the ceremony.

During the course of the Memorial Day weekend celebration, a flag distribution was held at the Newburgh Activity Center on May 28 to decorate veteran graves. On May 29, a motorcade of Newburgh Veterans of Foreign Wars members and friends visited local cemeteries and monuments and placed wreaths at the sites. Observance of Memorial Day concluded with the reading of deceased veterans since World War 1. The reading took place at the Orange County Veterans Memorial, at the intersection of Liberty Street and Leroy Place.