Hartford Memorial Day Parade 2011

This year’s Memorial Day Parade was once again very nice with a small town touch.  President Abraham Lincoln once again graced us with his Gettysburg Adress Speech and this year we had the Adirondack Pipes & Drums Band.

Here is the speech that I gave at the War Monument in the center of Main Street:

“Memorial Day is the time for Americans to reconnect with their history and core values by honoring those brave American Service members who gave their lives in battle for the ideals we cherish.

More than a million American service members died in the wars and conflicts this nation fought since the first Colonial soldiers took up arms in 1775 to fight for our independence.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Fort Sumpter and the start of the Civil War.

We should be proud of the fact that Hartford is the only town in New York that has managed to keep and preserve its historic Civil War Enlistment center.

This center is the last one standing in all of New York State. This small building is where brave Hartford men volunteered and enlisted in the war effort before marching over the mountains thru Hebron to catch the army train in Salem.

This Civil War Enlistment Center is maintained by the Hartford Historical Society. It is located just up the street next to the museum and is open today for visitors and donations.

America would be a much different place today if our rights and freedoms were not supported and defended by the valor of American blood and sacrifice.

Thank You”