A Memorial Day parade has been a tradition for the Village of Wilmette for over 100 years, but this year, celebrating their sesquicentennial anniversary, Wilmette’s program was all about unity.
John Jacoby, co-chair of the sesquicentennial planning committee for the Village of Wilmette said, for 150th anniversary we wanted to bring unprecedented number of people together for our march and ceremony in honor of the 110 Wilmette residents who died in service to our country in time of war.
“We wanted to maintain the traditions from the past, and enhance these traditions for our Memorial Day observance this year,” Jacoby said. “In addition to changing our parade route, we wanted to bring the community together for a unity march, bringing together all local entities governmental, civic, business and community organizations, everyone was invited.”
According to the Wilmette 150 website, Memorial Day parades aren’t supposed to be fun like circus parades or joyful and celebratory like a Fourth of July parade, but rather they’re dignified, patriotic marches of mourners to a cemetery or monument where the ultimate sacrifice of more than 1.2 million American heroes is remembered, honored and grieved.
The Unity March set off at 10:30 a.m. from the St. Joseph Church parking lot, proceeding to the Village Hall green, via Lake Avenue, Park Avenue, and Wilmette Avenue, for an 11:30 a.m. ceremony honoring the men and women who died in wars of the United States.
The march brought together representatives from over 60 area organizations.
George Vail, commander of American Legion, Morton Grove Post 134 who participated in the program, said, “We are here to honor the sacrifice of those who served and never returned, to show our respect during what is considered to be a solemn occasion.”
All 110 names were read aloud during the ceremony, the memorial list included those who served in the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War and the Lebanon Expedition.
In addition to the recognition of veterans, the Memorial Day ceremony also included a welcome from Senta Plunkett, Village President; The Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful, performed by the Wilmette community band; an invocation, by Samuel N. Gordon, Rabbi Sukkat Shalom; the placing of the wreath by Nancy Fox, mother to John A. Phillips Jr., a Marine sergeant who died in a bombing of Marine headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon on Oct. 23, 1983; a rifle salute by the Wilmette Police Department, Taps, and a benediction by Nadia Stefko, Rector of St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church.
The names of The Wilmette Memorial list of the 110 men and women who died in the wars of the United States were distributed to the public during the ceremony.
listen to Memorial day guest speaker and native son, Michael S. Rogers. Born and raised in Wilmette, Rogers retired from the United States Navy as a four-star admiral before going on to serve as Director, National Security Agency, Chief, Central Security Service and Commander of the U.S. Cyber Command.
Wilmette welcomed guest speaker and native son, Michael S. Rogers. Born and raised in Wilmette, Rogers retired from the United States Navy as a four-star admiral before going on to serve as director, National Security Agency; chief, Central Security Service and commander of the U.S. Cyber Command.
During his remarks, Rogers said we are truly unified when we realize that we can disagree and still come together to preserve and protect our ideals as Americans.
Gina Grillo is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
