By Chris Fuchs
Just weeks before Memorial Day, the communities of Whitestone and College Point are finalizing plans for their parades that recognize the service of military veterans who fought in wars as far back as the Civil War.
Unquestionably, the Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade is the largest in Queens, attracting thousands of spectators and elected officials. But the events held annually in Whitestone and College Point also draw throngs of residents and elected officials such as state legislators, city council members, even the mayor.
“It means an awful lot to me,” said Nick Leone of the Whitestone Taxpayers Association, who fought in the Korean War. “We can’t thank these guys enough for what they’ve done. And more people should participate if they can.”
The parade in Whitestone is to begin at noon on Monday, May 28, with a service in front of the statue of soldiers on 149th Street and 15th Drive, Leone said. He said a band usually plays, attracting a fair crowd, and that the parade is attended every year by state Sen. Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose) and sometimes by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
For nearly 70 years, College Point has had its own Memorial Day parade. This year it will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 27, beginning at 26th Avenue and heading down College Point Boulevard until it reaches Herman A. MacNeil Park. There speeches will be made by elected officials, including City Councilman Mike Abel (D-Bayside), the grand marshal. Soon afterwards, crosses will be laid on the grass, one for each of the veterans who died in combat since the Civil War.
But the president of the College Point Board of Trade, Fred Mazzarello, said this year organizers have had considerable difficulty raising funds and he expects costs to edge past the $20,000 that was budgeted. So far, organizers have attracted 15 bands, though some might have to be eliminated if organizers cannot raise enough money to defray the costs.
“That’s why we’re doubling our appeal efforts to a lot of people who contributed in the past and for some reason haven’t come through yet,” he said. Mazzarello also attributed the lack of funds this year to a “major sponsor” that had contributed in the past but has not this year.
One of the ceremonies during the parade that distinguishes it from others is the selection of a poppy queen, a tradition that was begun 37 years ago. Dating back to 1918, the poppy served as a reminder of the men of the armed services who died fighting in World War I, a symbolism that was later expanded to include veterans of all wars.
This year, organizers selected Gloria Palma, 13, as the poppy queen. “It shows that I care because they sacrificed their lives so that we can be free, and this is a good way to pay respect,” she said during an earlier interview.
Mazzarello also said the parade will coincide with Fleet Week, an event in which members of the Navy and Marines sail into New York City on ships that are then displayed to the public. This, he said, will help boost attendance, which was around 2,000 last year, and will allow a cadre of marines from the Dominican Republic to march as well.
Reach reporter Chris Fuchs by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 156.
