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Friday, March 29, 2024

Memorial Day is more than just another holiday

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Above / Veterans Plaza along the Riverwalk is among many places in Naperville to pause and reflect about the sacrifices made by men and women of the military to protect this nation’s freedom. Peace.
 
UPDATE, May 12, 2016 / The 2016 Memorial Day is set to begin at 10:30AM Mon., May 30.
 
Special to PN by Terry Jelinek, first published May, 23, 2015
 
terry-jelinek-web
Terry Jelinek

Memorial Day in Naperville has been commemorated since 1928 with the decorating of graves, placing of wreaths and a parade.

Over the years, however, I feel that we have forgotten the real purpose of the day. I can understand how this is possible since it is hard to watch a parade and not feel some sense of joy and excitement.

The parade is a part of the tradition and it is very hard to not feel patriotic with the number of American flags that are visible along the parade route, in the parade and throughout town. And although it is nice to honor the veterans participating in the activities and acknowledge our fire and police departments, this is not the true purpose of the day.

soldier-&-sailors-central-park
A monument in Central Park is dedicated to soldiers and sailors of the Black Hawk War and the Civil War. Wreaths will be laid here on Memorial Day.

Memorial Day conveys to Americans the price and pain of the quest for freedom. It is a day to honor the dead and what their service and sacrifice meant for America.

The first Memorial Day (Decoration Day) was in 1868. Since then patriotic Americans have not forgotten the dead of the Civil war, nor have they forgotten the sacrifices born by our fighting men and brave women who served in the subsequent wars in defense of freedom.

We no longer place flowers or pine boughs on the grave of each veteran resting in our cemeteries. The veterans from American Legion Post 43 and Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873, with the help of Boy Scout Troops 106, 111 and the Naval Sea Cadets of the “Ghostrider Squadron,” decorate each grave with an American flag. This is done on Friday and Saturday before Memorial Day.

Memorial Day Services

Memorial Day starts at 7AM for the Naperville posts of the American Legion and VFW, conducting memorial services throughout the downtown area which last until the start of the parade at 10:30AM.

The first service starts at 8AM at the 911/Dan Shanower Memorial on the Riverwalk behind City Hall.

At 8:30AM the service is at Veterans Park located on Gartner Rd.,

8:50AM at Burlington Square Park commemorating WWI,

9:15AM at the WWII Memorial in Ss. Peter and Paul Cemetery,

and 10AM at the Grand Army of the Republic Memorial in Naperville Cemetery.

The parade steps off at 10:30AM along Jackson Ave. at Ewing where all the high school marching bands fall into the line up, heading west toward Washington Street.

At 10:40AM there is a service at the Veterans Memorial at the Riverwalk Plaza, located at Jackson and Webster. At that time, a wreath also is thrown into the DuPage River to remember those who were lost at sea.

Editor’s Note: Organizers of the 2016 Memorial Day Parade will watch the weather forecast. A decision will be made by 9:30AM if conditions warrant canceling the parade and observances in Naperville for the safety of all participants and grateful spectators.

Memorial Day Observance in Central Park

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The Evening Kiwanis provided a plaque honoring all Naperville military who have died serving our country since the Black Hawk War of 1832.

Updated, May 9, 2016 / At the conclusion of the parade there will be a short program and final memorial service at the Community Concert Center.

One of the highlights at this year’s program will be a presentation by Regan Macwan who recently placed third in the National American Legion Oratorical Contest. He will recite his award-winning oration about the U.S. Constitution.

We welcome the public to attend.

Terry Jelinek, past commander of American Legion Post 43 and a Navy veteran, is the Chairman of the 2016 Memorial Day Parade Committee. 

Editor’s Note #2: Click any photo to enlarge to enable reading text and tributes to fallen heroes.

The 30-minute patriotic Memorial Day tribute in Central Park begins at 12:15PM. In addition to the special oratory presentation by student Regan Macwan, the ceremony also will feature patriotic music performed by the Naperville Municipal Band, directed by Ron Keller.

(Of special note, Keller first marched in the parade as a Naperville kindergartner in 1944.)

Park benches will be placed in the park for the season. Guests are welcome to bring blankets, bench pads and folding chairs. Central Park now has public restrooms and a drinking fountain.

concert-center-may-20

The Community Concert Center is located in Central Park, just north of Jefferson and east of Washington in downtown Naperville. On Memorial Day, fallen heroes will be remembered here with special patriotic music and thoughtful tributes.

Soon the large stage door emblazoned with Century Walk mural, “The Great Concerto,” will open to fill the park with memorable music for Memorial Day, a time to remember and reflect about the ultimate sacrifices that have been made to protect freedom, including the freedom to assemble for concerts, parades and public meetings.

Related PN Posts/Photos in May: Naperville Spirit of Service is contagious / Memorial Day posts in PN Archive

 

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PN Editor
PN Editor
An editor is someone who prepares content for publishing. It entered English, the American Language, via French. Its modern sense for newspapers has been around since about 1800.

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