Memorial Day events

Memorial Day will be observed May 27. Here is a list of events set to be held in the Lehigh Valley.

MAY 24

Pen Argyl Area High School, 501 W. Laurel Ave., will hold a Memorial Day assembly 8-9:30 a.m. in Alumni Stadium. The student body will gather outside for the student-run assembly where speakers will talk about the importance of Memorial Day and the history behind it. The guest speaker will be Brett Kunkle, a science teacher at the school and Army veteran. He was on active duty from 1995-98 and in the National Guard from 1998-2015. He also served in Iraq. The event will include a flag folding ceremony done by some of the Boy Scouts in the high school and complete with the playing of taps. The goal of the assembly is to stress the importance of Memorial Day and honor all the brave men and women who served for our country and gave their lives protecting our nation. The community is welcome to attend this assembly.

MAY 25

The American Legion Brown & Lynch Post No. 9 Palmer Township will conduct Memorial Day at 9 a.m. Ceremonies at the veterans section of the Northampton Memorial Shrine Cemetery, 3051 Green Pond Road, Easton. Color Guard from the Northampton County Detachment #298 Marine Corps League will participate.

The Daughters of the American Revolution celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence and the Revolutionary War with a patriot grave marking ceremony. The Flower Mound and Lieutenant Matthew Smith Chapters of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution will hold a special grave marking ceremony honoring local patriots Ludwick Benner, 1728-1791, and his son John Benner, 1750-1823, 10 a.m. at St. Peter’s Tohickon United Church of Christ, 1071 Old Bethlehem Road, Perkasie.

MAY 26

Williams Township Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony, 6 p.m., at the Williams Township Municipal Building, 655 Cider Press Road, to honor fallen heroes, living veterans and service persons on active duty.

Honor Guard Squad commander, Northampton County Detachment, will deliver the address. Laying the wreath at the township’s memorial to fallen heroes, will be Ray Abert, Township Supervisor Ray Abert, escorted by Cub Scouts Theodore Bird and Frankie Browne. Peter Thompson will read the names.

A Wilson High School student will share the Gettysburg Address. Ronald Hineline, a member of the Memorial Committee, will serve as master of ceremonies.

A community recognition award will be given to Richard Seiffert, a Vietnam War veteran, son of Army Capt. Robert F. Seiffert who was killed in the Battle of the Bulge. Currently, Richard Seiffert is an active volunteer with Tails of Valor, Paws of Honor where he has trained a service puppy for many years. He is a member of the Williams Township Veterans Memorial Committee.

Also participating are the Wilson Area High School Band under direction of Nick Hall, Scout troops, Pastor Paul Leonhart, of St. John’s Church of Morgan Hill, the honor guard of Marine Corps League/Northampton County Detachment, students from the Williams Township Elementary School, members of the Veterans Memorial Committee and many individual citizens.

Parking is available at the municipal building. Bring lawn chairs.

MAY 27

Easton Memorial Day Parade. Approximately 9 a.m. prayers and honors will be rendered at the Historic Easton Cemetery and the Grand Army of the Republic plot located at the flagpole and cannon area by the American legion post #9 Honor Guard.

This year marks the 125th Memorial Day Parade. At 10:30 a.m. the parade will run from Sixth and Northampton Streets through Centre Square to the Northampton Street free Bridge.

Ceremonies will continue on the bridge, with the playing of the National Anthem, the Brown & Lynch Post #9 firing a volley from the south side of the bridge, the sounding of taps, and the tossing of the Memorial Day wreath on to the waters of the Delaware River, jointly by the mayors of Phillipsburg and Easton. The public will not be allowed on the bridge.

Following the ceremony of the bridge, elements of the parade will regroup at Riverside Park amphitheater located near the Bushkill Street bridge, commonly called the toll bridge, with ceremonies, speakers, and honors, ending at noon.

Macungie Memorial Day Observance presented by Macungie Memorial V.F.W. Post No 9264 and Auxiliary, Flag Raising and VFW Memorial Day Ceremonial will be held at 10 a.m. at the Macungie Memorial Park, Veteran’s Memorial.

Macungie Memorial Day Program will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. at the  Macungie Park Bandshell, immediately following the flag raising ceremony. The guest speaker is Thomas L. Applebach, director, Lehigh County Office of Veterans Affairs, Commander, Macungie Memorial V.F.W. Post 9264. This year’s program commemorates the 75th anniversary of the first community Memorial Day program held at the Macungie Memorial Park bandshell.

A memorial service will be held at the “All Gave Some-Some Gave All” Memorial, Macungie Veterans Association, 287 Lehigh St., at noon. All are invited to remain for free refreshments following the service.

In the event of rain, the Memorial Day services will be held at 10:30 a.m. in the Macungie Memorial Park auditorium, 50 N. Poplar St., Macungie.

For information or weather updates, go to www.macungie.org or call or text to 610-965-0372.

Jerusalem Western Salisbury Church, 3441 Devonshire Road, Allentown, will hold services at 11:55 a.m. at the Veteran’s Monument, weather permitting. Rain location, church sanctuary.

The program will feature the Jerusalem Western Salisbury Church Honor Guard, Drum Major, of “The Musick of the American Revolution of Salisbury and Allen Town,” an educational musical heritage ensemble of Flutations, Inc. of Allentown. The American flag will be raised to full staff at noon, followed by the singing of the national anthem led by vocalist Evelyn Stewart. Words of welcome will be followed by the singing of “America,” followed by historical notes on Memorial Day and the reading of the Gettysburg Address. Evelyn Stewart will sing “The Battle Hymn of the Republic. Command Sergeant Major Ernest R. Fenstermaker (Ret.) will present “What Memorial Day Means To Me,” followed by the singing of “Faith of our Fathers.” The “Salute to Those Who Gave the Supreme Sacrifice During Wartime and Peacetime” will begin with the Tattoo, played by bugler Richard Shankweiler, followed by the tolling of the historic 1885 Church Bell, thirteen times. Command Sgt. Major Fenstermaker will move forward with the ceremonial wreath to present at the monument and will salute, following the placement of the wreath. A moment of silence will be followed by taps, played by bugler Richard Shankweiler, and the echo for taps played by Larry Kichline of Allentown.

The program will end with a procession around the cemeteries of the church, led by the honor guard and the Drum. Donations will be accepted benefiting the Memorial Day Committee.

The Bethlehem Detachment of the Marine Corps League conducts a memorial ceremony at noon at the Killed-in-Action Memorial, in front of Bethlehem City Hall, 10 E. Church St., Bethlehem just in front of Bethlehem City Hall. This event features prayer, music, a reading of the names of the 35 men whose names are inscribed on the memorial, and a short oration by a Bethlehem veteran. Their portraits will be displayed and their names read aloud as the Memorial Bell is rung.

A Memorial Day service will be held 1 p.m. at the East Bangor Cemetery, Park Road.  The speaker will be Larry Rissmiller, a U.S. Army veteran.  Hunter Zeman will recite the “Gettysburg Address.”  Amy Weaver will recite “In Flanders Fields.” A gun salute will be fired by the Martocci-Capobianco Post 750 American Legion, Roseto. Taps will be played by Hannah Confalone, who will also sing the national anthem. Dustin Flyte will offer a musical selection. The East Bangor Fire Co. will be in attendance, as well as Boy Scout Troop 41. Rain location, East Bangor United Methodist Community Church, 136 W. Central Ave. The church is sponsoring the service. Info: 610-588-4453; www.ebumc.org .

A Memorial Day concert will be held 6-8 p.m. at Sweet Arrow Lake County Park clubhouse, 108 Clubhouse Road, Pine Grove. Everyone enjoys the annual performance of the M & J Big Band at Sweet Arrow. This outdoor concert is free and is part of the Sweet Arrow Arts in the Park Program sponsored by the Sweet Arrow Lake Conservation Association. Made possible by the Reidler Family Charitable Fund and Schuylkill Area Community Foundation. Bring lawn chairs. For information, call 570-345-8952 and leave a message.

Memorial Day evening observance will be held at 7 p.m. at the monument on the New Bethel Zion Cemetery at Mt. Zion Church, 1343 Long Lane Road, Kutztown (Krumsville). Program by the Boys Scouts of Troop 104. Bring lawn chairs.