Both the town of Guttenberg and the township of North Bergen will take the time to remember all of those who lost their lives while serving their country during Memorial Day ceremonies.
First, North Bergen will have a program on Thursday, May 27, beginning at 7 p.m. at the 64th Street Softball Field. In case of rain, the ceremonies will be moved indoors to the North Bergen Recreation facility on Meadowview Avenue.
Then, on Memorial Day, Monday, May 31, the annual Guttenberg Memorial Day parade will take place, beginning with assembly and step off at 12:30 p.m. at the corner of Madison Avenue and 68th Street. The parade is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
The Guttenberg Memorial Day parade is a source of pride for everyone in the town, especially since the Anna L. Klein School community has wholeheartedly thrown their support to the event.
“It is so very important for us to remember those who served in the military,” said long-time resident Larry Giancola, who serves as the chairman of the parade committee. “Especially now, because of what’s going on in Iraq. A number of Guttenberg residents are there already and another, Augie Cabrera, will be leaving soon to go. So the parade takes on a personal meaning. We want to be able to support our troops, and this is our way of remembering them.”
Ed W. Grafske, a retired naval officer and an expert on submarines, will be on hand to discuss his role in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Robert Penna, the superintendent of schools in Guttenberg, the entire student body will participate in the parade.
“It’s a learning situation, and we want the students to learn about the true meaning of Memorial Day,” Penna said. “But we also want them to have a sense of community. The school is the heart of the community and is an integral part. We have to support the community in every way. We have a lot of new Americans among our school community and it’s important for them to understand the history and traditions of our nation. I truly believe this parade is vital to the community, and we want to make sure that it is a premier event.”
The Klein School community is going out of its way to make the parade a success. There will be three 28-foot floats. The first will feature all of the school’s Early Childhood (pre-kindergarten) students, and it will be entitled “The Future of Guttenberg.”
“[That’s] because those students are truly the future of Guttenberg,” Penna said.
The next float will feature the student council of the school, and the third will feature the Klein School girls’ basketball team, which went through the 2004 season undefeated and captured the North Bergen Grammar School championship.
There will also be two convertibles featuring students who won respective contests in the school, and some themed flat-bed trucks featuring the school mascot, the Mustang. Another young lady dressed as the Statue of Liberty and other students dressed in military uniforms as a salute to the troops.
Both the Klein School Marching Band and the Lincoln School (Fairview) Marching Band will perform. The Emerson High School ROTC program will also march.
The funding for the parade has been raised by the students of Klein School.
“They had candy sales and bake sales to raise the money,” Penna said. “The kids want to say that they’re making a difference.”
Justin Rivera, who is also serving on the Memorial Day parade committee, is pleased that there is so much of a contribution from the students.
“I think it’s very exciting to have them as part of the process,” Rivera said. “I saw some old films of Memorial Day parades in the past, and you saw the time and effort that went into it back then. I think we’re all doing our best to recapture some of that.”
Giancola, who was a veteran of the Vietnam War, serving in the Air Force for four years, said that the parade is the culmination of a lot of time and effort. The committee will also have photo displays of all the Guttenberg residents who were killed in the line of duty over the years, complete with biographies of each.
As part of the festivities, there will be an assembly at the school on Friday, May 28, at 2 p.m., recreating Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s famous “Four Freedoms” speech. The committee will present four framed Norman Rockwell print to the school, and two students will receive Savings Bonds for their work in writing essays about the “Four Freedoms.”
The committee will also sell T-shirts commemorating the parade.
“We’re really happy with the kind of participation we’re receiving, especially from the students,” Giancola said. “It should be a great parade.”
The rain date is scheduled for June 5.
North Bergen
In North Bergen, Veterans Affairs Administrator Charlie Faistl, with help from Recreation Supervisor John “Digger” O’Dell, has put together a program that will focus on those lost in battle.
“I’ve been involved with several Memorial Day activities, but this is the first time the township will dedicate a plaque with a dedication honoring the veterans of all wars,” Faistl said. “People will get to see the plaque and understand the importance that much more.”
The North Bergen High School marching band will perform the national anthem, while an honor guard from the McGuire Air Force Base will present the colors. A firing squad will also be present.
“It’s important for the town to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco said. “It’s also a time to remember those who are making the sacrifice now for their country. I think the importance of the day has been lost somewhat. We have to do whatever we can to keep it alive.”