Clad in the nation’s red, white and blue colors, local residents and visitors gathered along the streets in Beach Haven for the Memorial Day parade and ceremony on Monday to honor those who died in active military service. Presented by the Beach Haven Community Arts Program, VFW Barnegat Light Post 3729 and Beach Haven Borough, the event also paid respect to the many veterans who proudly joined in the town’s memorial walk. The Beach Bums Corvette Club escorted veterans who opted for the ride.
“It was outstanding, as usual,” said Beach Haven Councilman James White, who is also chair
man of the parade.
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| Photo by Jack Reynolds The Coast Guard leads the way for the parade. |
Beach Haven Mayor Robert Keeler gave the opening speech at Veterans Bicentennial Park, where the Beach Haven Volunteer Fire Company had displayed an American flag from one of its fire trucks. The Rev. Frank Crumbaugh of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church gave the invocation. Brigadier General Richard O’Meara, a Beach Haven resident, was the keynote speaker.
During the service, the town honored the veterans in attendance, and stars were handed to them by Junior Girl Scout Troop 589. Robert Connelly, a senior at Southern Regional High School and a member of the St. Francis Parish Choir, sang “Proud to Be an American.”
“It really went over very well. There were a lot of tears,” said White.
Near the end of the service, the Southern Regional High School Marching Band played dueling “Taps.”
Following the closing speech and poem read by White, Boy Scout Troop 61 retired the flag with the assistance of David White, commander of VFW Post 3729.
Councilman White was especially proud to have young people participating in the memorial.
“They have to carry on these traditions that we hold dear as a nation, that we’ll never forget our fallen heroes,” he said.
— Kelley Anne Essinger
This article was published in The SandPaper.
— Kelley Anne Essinger
This article was published in The SandPaper.
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