JAY — Navy veteran Hamblin “Ham” Allen, 102, is the grand marshal for the Memorial Day parade Monday in his hometown.
Parade chairman Ron Morin said it’s an honor to have the World War II veteran as grand marshal.
“We will have more than a dozen local veterans riding in classic car convertibles, he said, and the veterans will be seated for the ceremony at the gazebo in Livermore Falls.”
Thirty-nine units will start at 10:15 a.m. from MEMCO and the AMVETS hall in Jay south along Main Street and proceed to the gazebo on Main Street in Livermore Falls, where the parade will end at 12:15 p.m. Along the route there were will ceremonies, and a crew will distribute 500 small flags to children and adults. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts will carry a 12- by 25-foot American flag during the procession.
Traffic in Jay will be diverted onto Hyde Road and Riley Road across Route 4 near Crash Road. Bridge Street in downtown Livermore Falls will be closed off from 9:45 a.m. until the parade ends.
The VFW and AMVETS color guard will participate, accompanied by the rifle squad. Larry Bilodeau will lead prayers and AMVETS Auxiliary will lay wreaths. The ceremonies will include a 21-gun salute. Faith Maurais will sing the national anthem at the gazebo in Livermore Falls.
The parade schedule is:
• 10-10:15 a.m. — Parade begins at MEMCO and AMVETS in Jay, proceeding south along Main Street.
• 10:15-10:27 a.m. — WWII Memorial Ceremony at Chisholm Square in Jay.
• 10:45-10:57 a.m. — Wreath placement and ceremony at Richardson Cemetery in Livermore Falls.
• 11:30-11:42 a.m. — War Memorial Ceremony at Union Park in Livermore Falls.
• 12:10-12:15 p.m. — Closing ceremony at the gazebo on Main Street in Livermore Falls.
George Bunten Post 10 of the American Legion in Livermore Falls invites people to participate in the Veterans Memorial Hill of Flags display. People can have a flag placed on the hillside between Park Street and the Regional School Unit 73 Spruce Mountain administrative office for $5. The flags will show the names of the veterans being honored or remembered. Post members and families will place the flags. Those who wish to have the name of a veteran published can include a note with their payment specifying whether it is “In Honor of” or “In Memory of” the veteran.
Checks should be made out to “George Bunten Post 10” and mailed to the organization at 17 Reynolds Ave., Livermore Falls, ME 04254. Checks can also be placed in the post’s locked box outside the facility. Please indicate “Veterans Hill” in the note area of the check or on an attached note.
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