MANVILLE: Post 2290 sets 65th annual Memorial Day parade

By Mary Ellen Zangara, Special Writer
   The 65th Annual Memorial Day parade will take place on Sunday at 1 p.m. The parade is sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign War Post 2290 in Manville. Grand Marshall for the event is veteran Willy Thomaszfski.
   This year’s parade will be on a shortened route, according to parade chairman Jr. Vice Commander Fred Gorbatuk.
   ”Memorial Day is a day set aside by the federal government to honor those who lost their lives while in the military service and we will honor them on the 29th of May,” he said. The parade will begin at the usual place on Dukes Parkway with a step off time of 1 p.m., traveling down Main Street to Washington Avenue and up to the VFW Post hall. After the parade, there will be hot dogs and birch beer along with a brief ceremony with guest speakers.
   Grand Marshall Mr. Thomaszfski was chosen by Post 2290 members for this honor. “We look for someone who contributes within the VFW and the community and he has done quite a few things here. He is not on the front line but he does a lot of things to make sure it gets done,” said Mr. Gorbatuk.
   Those anticipated to participate in the parade include members of Thomas J. Kavanaugh Post 2290 Color Guard and Marching Unit; VFW Department of New Jersey Jr. Vice Commander Warren George; VFW District 15 Commander Jim Wisor; VFW Post 2290 Commander Charles Goodyear; VFW Ladies Auxiliary State Senior Vice President Cecelia Watkins; VFW Ladies Auxiliary District 15 President Cindy Dilks; VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 2290 President Joyce Tanalski and the VFW Post 2290 Ladies Auxiliary Marching Unit.
   Besides the VFW officials and members, other groups and organizations marching include Central Jersey Motor Pool; Disabled American Veterans of America Chapter 16;Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 452; American Legion Post 304 and the Ladies Auxiliary Manville; Tin Can Soldiers, Manville High School Marching Band, Mayor Lillian Zuza and Borough Council members; Assemblyman Peter Biondi; Somerset County Freeholder Peter Palmer; St. Jude Council Knights of Columbus; Somerset County 4H Go-Cart Club; Boy Scouts of America Troop 193 and Cub Scout Pack 193; Daisy Troop 235; Brownie Troops 299 and 47; Manville Youth Athletic League; Manville Recreation, Main Street Dance; Jim O’Reilly Vans; CERT; all three Manville Fire Departments and the Manville First Aid and Rescue Squad.
   Not only will the VFW Post 2290 sponsor the parade in the early afternoon, the members of the post and Ladies Auxiliary will begin their Memorial Day remembrance starting at 8:30 a.m. with a Mass at Sacred Heart Church. After Mass, there will be a memorial at the post monument at 11 a.m. followed by the memorial at Sacred Heart cemetery at 11:30 a.m. Before stepping off for the parade, members will have the last service at Dukes Park by the river to honor all those who served.
   Mr. Gorbatuk said that there is no rain date for the parade and events. The events will only be canceled in the event of thunder and lightning so he is hoping for a nice day on Sunday.