To the Editor:
The Altamont Parade Committee has been working hard to produce the best Memorial Day Parade yet, on May 19, with recurring marchers and floats as well as many new additions!

Our Grand Marshal this year is Corporal Ken Bailey, who served in the United States Army during World War II. At age 102, Corporal Bailey remembers D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, the Battle of Mortain, and more. He is the recipient of five Battle Stars, a Bronze Star, and many more honors. We are honored to have him as our grand marshal.

If the weather cooperates, the Wunsapana 4-H Llama Club will join us again, and the participants in Altamont elementary School’s fifth-grade musical will be giving us a sneak peek at Willy Wonka!

The parade starts at 2 p.m. on Sunday and, as it winds down at Maple and Main, the Helderberg Stampede Line Dancers will be performing a special dance for us!

This wonderful lineup will culminate at Orsini Park where we will be greeted by the mayor and our many representatives and repeat the village “group sing” of the national anthem that was so moving last year.

Congressman Paul Tonko will share brief remarks about Memorial Day and Corporal Bailey, followed by a laying-of-the-wreath ceremony and short presentation by the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars posts.

We hope you’ll join us for this program and bring your blankets or lawn chairs. String Theory will be entertaining us from the gazebo, as we all enjoy hot dogs provided by the Altamont Fire Department and ice cream from Stewart’s!

So please fly your flags in honor of our men and women who gave their lives so we had the freedom to enjoy the day.

Judi Dineen

Altamont

Parade Committee