POTSDAM — Hundreds turned out for the annual Memorial Day parade and ceremony hosted by the Potsdam Amvets Monday morning.
The parade featured Potsdam Amvets and Ladies Auxiliary members, Volunteer Rescue Squad, Potsdam Volunteer Fire Department, Potsdam Volunteer Police Officers and members of the Potsdam High School Band.
Also participating were the Potsdam School 4th grade Positivity Project, Potsdam Youth Lacrosse, Potsdam Girl Scouts and St. Lawrence County PAWS 4-H Club.
Stanley Crump, organizer and Vietnam veteran, led a ceremony in Ives Park following the parade. He said today, May 26, was an important date for him.
“When veterans came home, the war sometimes followed them,” said Crump, sometimes resorting to alcohol, drugs and suicide. If you need help, look around the corner. There are folks to help, psychiatrists and other people you can talk to, other veterans,” he said.
Potsdam Village Mayor Alexandra Jacobs Wilke said, “The memories of the fallen service members still live. Their examples should light a fire in each and every one of us to make their loss a worthy one.”
“It is our job to serve the families of the fallen and support all of the veterans and active duty service members,” she said.
Potsdam Police Chief Mike Ames, and former Army Staff Sergeant, spoke of two Army friends who died serving their country, David Roustum and Nate Brown.
“Today is in honor of those who paid in life and blood, whose moms never saw them again, whose ads wept in private, whose wives raised kids alone, and whose children only remembered them from pictures,” he said.
“This isn’t simply a day off. This is a day to remember - that others paid for every free breath we ever get to take. Let us remember the cost of our freedom,” said Ames.