2012 Memorial Day Events to Include Parade on May 28

The Winthrop Memorial Day festivities will include a parade this year, as Winthrop continues its effort to include a parade at least every other year for the Memorial Day observances.

“Lou Camacho, Richard Honan and Richie Duvall have been working hard putting together the parade for this year and from what I hear, it’s going to be quite a good parade,” explained Veterans Director Larry Holmes. “I think they’re going to have four bands and lots of military equipment and marching units.”

According to Holmes, the events in observance of Memorial Day will actually begin on Sunday morning with the now annual U.S. Marine Service, which will be held at the Cottage Park Yacht Club at 9:00 a.m. on the day before Memorial Day.

“After the Marine service we’ll head over to St. John’s Episcopal Church for Memorial Day Church Service at 10 a.m. and following that we’ll be gathering for a square dedication for Merchant Marine Joseph Puorro,” explained Holmes. “He was a young Merchant Marine in World War II, who died at sea, when his vessel was attacked.”

The Puorro Square dedication will take place at the corner of Lincoln Street and Brookfield Road.

“On Monday, of course we’ll have the annual Memorial Day service at the Winthrop Cemetery beginning at 10:00 a.m.,” said Holmes. “Before the service, we’ll have coffee and donuts at the Legion Post and the parade will start at 2 p.m.

Holmes pointed out that he is helped in making the Memorial Day arrangements by members of the Winthrop Veterans organizations, the Winthrop Lodge of Elks, the Winthrop Emblem Club, Bill Furey and Sharon Lee Bolger, Memorial Day Secretary.

The Winthrop Memorial Day Committee includes Holmes, Chaplain Charles M. Northrop, John O’Malley, Richard Duval, Richard Honan, Stephen Honan, Mary Porter and Bolger.

A complete lineup of the parade participants and the parade route will be included in next week’s Sun Transcript.