Berks events observing Memorial Day
May 17—The following events are scheduled in observance of Memorial Day:
Wyomissing
Wyomissing's annual Memorial Day parade gathers at the Wyomissing Hills Elementary School parking lot May 25 by 9:15 a.m. The parade begins at 10. The parade follows Woodland Road to Lawndale Road to Tewkesbury Drive to South Hampton Drive to Downing Drive to Valley Road to Wyomissing Hills Memorial Park. Youths are encouraged to join the parade by decorating their bikes, scooters and wagons.
Following the parade, a ceremony and tribute will take place around the flagpole area at the park. After the ceremony, the Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Girls Scouts will be on-site with concessions, including a chicken barbecue bake sale
No parking is permitted on the parade route until 11 a.m., and no business or political advertising is allowed by parade participants.
Hereford Township
A Memorial Day celebration is set May 26 at Huff's Union Church, 540 Conrad Road, Hereford Township. Following the 10:30 a.m. worship service, the Topton American Legion Honor Guard will go to Huff's Church to help in honoring veterans.
Oley
The Memorial Day Parade sponsored by Oley Post 878 American Legion will be held May 26 at 6 p.m. beginning at the Oley Valley High School and proceeding west on Main Street to Frieden's Cemetery for the services.
Boyertown
The Boyertown Memorial Day Parade, hosted by American Legion Post 471, begins May 27 at 9:15 a.m. from the high school to North Monroe Street to East Philadelphia Avenue to Fairview Cemetery.
Bernville
The Bernville Memorial Day parade forms May 27 at 1 p.m. at the Penn-Bernville Elementary School. The parade begins at 2 and will be followed by a memorial service at Umbenhauer Park.
Exeter Township
The Exeter Township Memorial Day parade on May 27 leaves the high school on East 37th Street at 9 a.m., goes right on Grant Street, left on East 36th Street across Perkiomen Avenue, right on Circle Avenue, left on West Neversink Road, finishing at Forest Hills Cemetery with a ceremony.
Hamburg
The Hamburg Memorial Day parade sponsored by the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars posts lines up and begins May 27 at 9 a.m. at the war memorial at Second and State streets, with a ceremony at 9:10. A second ceremony is set for 9:30 at Greenwood and St. Mary's Cemetery on North Fifth Street. The main ceremony will be at St. Johns Cemetery veterans plot at 10:15. In the event of bad weather, the ceremonies will be held at the National Guard Armory on North Fifth Street at 10.
For more information, call 610-562-2311 between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Open houses will be held at both posts following the ceremonies.
Kutztown
The Kutztown Memorial Day Parade forms at Kutztown Fairgrounds, 405 Wentz St., on May 27 at 7:30 a.m. The parade departs at 8 for Fairview Cemetery. From there, the parade continues to Hope Cemetery, where Dr. Kenneth Hawkinson, Kutztown University president, will give the address.
Mohnton
The 64th annual Mohnton Area Memorial Day Parade will start May 27 at 9 a.m. from the VFW Post 9045 Home on West Wyomissing Avenue. The parade will feature the Reading Buccaneers Drum & Bugle Corps, VFW Post 9045 Color Guard, Boy and Girl Scout Troops, Reading Philharmonic Band, Pretzel City Dixieland Jazz Band, Happy Dutchman German Band, auto clubs and businesses, police and fire departments, and borough representatives.
The parade will proceed from the VFW Post to Walnut Street to North Church Street and end at the Mohnsville Cemetery, where the memorial service will begin at 10:15 a.m. Master of ceremonies is Larry Graeff. Also, Parade Grand Marshal Noemia Iordanescu and
speaker Jim Swope, curator/exhibitor Berks Military History Museum. The Rev. Robert W. Shuey of Zion E.C. Church will give the invocation and benediction. After the service, the Reading Buccaneers will present their program at the Mohnton Playground at noon. For more information, contact Jeff Shanely, 610-334-7095.
Muhlenberg Township
Muhlenberg Township will hold a Memorial Day event near the flagpole at Jim Dietrich Park on May 27 at 9 a.m. Guest speakers will share their military experiences and what Memorial Day means to them. Wreaths will be presented for all branches of service, and light refreshments will be served at Pavilion #2 after the ceremony.
Reading
Two Memorial Day ceremonies on May 27 will be hosted by the Combined Veterans Council of Berks County. The first ceremony will be at Veterans Grove in City Park at 9 a.m. The second ceremony will be at the Civil War Monument in Charles Evans Cemetery on Centre Avenue about 10:15. The guest speaker will be Jay Ostrich, Berks County director of veterans affairs.
Shillington
Shillington's 96th annual Memorial Day parade begins May 27 at 10:30 a.m. at Shillington Memorial Park. The parade will travel Broad Street to Sterley Street to Pennsylvania Avenue to Brobst Street, ending with a ceremony at borough hall.
