The Lebanon Memorial Day Parade and Ceremonies, cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19 concerns, is back for 2022.
The Lebanon Veterans’ Advisory Council “is proud” to announce details of the event this year, which will be held in the morning of Monday, May 30, according to parade and ceremony chairman Bill Meiser.
“There is a fair amount of enthusiasm for the parade to return,” Meiser told LebTown – especially, he said, now that the long-running Memorial Day parade in Annville is now defunct.
Read More: Annville draws the curtain on 30-year Memorial Day Parade tradition
“We are very excited to again recognize our Nations Fallen Heroes from the Civil War to the present,” he added.
In Lebanon, Meiser noted that inventory issues have limited the supply of cars available for use in the parade. Usually, he said, local dealerships have provided cars for the event, but vehicles simply aren’t on the lots in their usual numbers this year.
“We have horse groups returning to the parade for the first time in many years,” Meiser said. “We have car and motorcycle groups joining us.”
The schedule for Monday is as follows:
- 6 a.m., adornment of the graves of fallen Union and Confederate soldiers at the Soldiers Block in Mount Lebanon Cemetery, 235 Maple St.
- 8 a.m., formation of the Lebanon Memorial Day Parade at 8th and Cumberland streets.
- 9:30 a.m., parade begins at 8th and Cumberland, proceeding east to 4th Street, then north to Lehman Street and west to Monument Park at 8th and Lehman streets.
- 11 a.m., Memorial Day Ceremony at Monument Park.
- 12 p.m., Memorial Day Ceremony at Soldiers Block in Mount Lebanon Cemetery.
- 12:15 p.m., Memorial Day Reception for parade and ceremony participants at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 23, 718 Chestnut St.
The parade will be divided into four divisions, each focusing on a different era (Korea, Vietnam, Cold War, and Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq).
Participants this year include the Lebanon Police Department, VFW Post 23 Honor Guard, Navy Ship Club 91 and Auxiliary, Lebanon and Cedar Crest high school bands, Military Order of the Purple Heart, 93rd Regiment, PA Volunteer Infantry, AMVETS Post 293 and Auxiliary, Daughters of the American Revolution, state Senator Chris Gebhard, state Representative Russ Diamond, Sons of Spanish American War & Daughters of ’98 Veterans, Lebanon Elks Lodge 631, Scout BSA Troop 446, American Legion Riders Post 751, North Lebanon Township Police Department, Scout BSA Troop 412 Honor Guard, Cub Packs 412 and 439, Lebanon County Commissioner Jo Ellen Litz, Lebanon City Mayor Sherry Capello, and Lebanon City Council members Joseph Morales, Karen Haitos, and Brian Martin.
Also including South Lebanon Township Police, Civil Air Patrol Color Guard and Squadron 307, VFW Post 23 and Auxiliary, 201st Red Horse Squadron, 4H Saddle Up Equine Club of Lebanon County, Making a Difference PA, Lebanon VAMC Police Department and Color Guard, Girl Scout Service Unit of Lebanon County, Cedar Crest Middle School Band, Keystone Paralyzed Veterans, Lebanon County EMA, Lebanon Baseball Association, Westwynd Farm Riders, American Legion Post 158 and Ladies Auxiliary, and the Mount Gretna Community Volunteer, Ebenezer, Friendship, Neversink, Liberty, Glenn Lebanon and Rural Security fire companies.
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