Memorial Day in Metuchen 2009
is dedicated to the honor and support
of United States service personnel,
past and present,
especially those in harm’s way.
- Click the picture above, or click here, for a slide show from the 2009 Metuchen Memorial Day parade and ceremony. (Isn’t that a cool picture? I love it! SO many people!) Turn up the sound for a very special treat! When the show is finished, it will jump back here where you can leave a comment showing support for the troops, and thanking the parade committee and our special guests. As usual, the committee is a well-oiled machine, planning all year to put together this event. And I swear I don’t know how they keep managing such great weather!
- I am moved by Memorial Day events in our small town, and am grateful to so many people who participated in the event and to so many who stood on our streets waving and cheering. You all graciously allowed my camera to capture many touching moments and remarkable faces. Above, Samantha Cook sang the National Anthem at the ceremony, and provided audio for the slide show as well. Beautiful job, Sammie! Thank you!
- I was out way too early on Memorial Day morning. I wanted to watch the sun rise.
- Little did I know that this was the day I would meet a most special man, Daniel E. Robinson. He was one of the Grand Marshals in the parade and when I met him after the ceremony, we instantly began chatting about how special Memorial Day in Metuchen truly is. So I asked him if I could record him talking about Memorial Day. He graciously agreed and the result is a very special addition to the slide show this year.
A sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corp. serving as a communications officer in the South Pacific during World War II, he later went on to become a pioneer in telecommunications research. He helped NASA launch the Mercury and Apollo space capsules! I mean, what are the odds that of all the people at that ceremony, I would zone in on a world famous communications expert without knowing a single thing about him prior to the event. I think it was fate, or, as Sgt. Robinson says on the slide show audio, maybe it was God that put us together.
- Catherine Manchero won the poster contest. Her drawing graced the cover of the program. Congratulations, Catherine! (My photograph shows how her picture looked hanging in the window of the Metuchen Savings Bank.)
- Some of the other winning posters are shown in the slide show. Congratulations to everyone who participated. This is one of my favorites.
- Fave!
- Before the parade begins, I like to roam around the line-up and observe what’s going on. It struck me as poignant that this man was momentarily all alone in the chaos.
- Fave!
- The group that comes from Lincoln High School always impresses me with their poise and politeness.
- I love all the decorated bicycles.
- I like to capture the crowds too, from the faces of young people to the fashions and emotions. What an adorable face he has!
- There were HUGE crowds this year.
- She is making that face because of some loud gun thingie. (“Thingie” being a technical term that might include a drum or a cannon.)
- Color guard was very colorful, and she is one of my all-time favorite color guard people!
- After I took this shot, I heard a woman say, “See, I knew that would be a good picture.”
- That’s Badger, if I remember correctly. I love her eyes! Wow!
- This is probably the coolest posed snapshot picture I ever took.
- Major Bayard Smith of the U.S. Army National Guard recently returned from serving in the Middle East. He was one of the Grand Marshals.
- We’re all so glad he’s safe. (That’s his dad above.)
- Everybody LOVES the major’s cavalry hat!
- Sgt. Ted Ayotte of the Metuchen Police Department will be retiring soon. Jan Margolis, chair of the parade committee, surprised him with a special award.
- As is tradition, Vietnam veterans gather around Legion Hall to ceremoniously pour out their beer in memory of those who haven’t made their way home.
- That actually looks pretty good, and I don’t even like beer.
- Metuchen Matters posted old Memorial Day parade photographs from 1928 and 1948 on their web site a few days ago. Studying the pictures made me wonder what daily life was like on those specific days. So when I saw the sign above in front of What’s the Scoop, I thought it would be cool to capture something that showed a little about what our life is like. Besides the prices, “bailout” on the board is a telling feature of our time right now.
- Can you guess what it is about this picture that drew me to it? Oooh, and one more little blog contest for you: I made a cameo in the slide show. Did you see me?
- Memorial Day is a highlight of living in Metuchen. Presented by the Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce, the parade and ceremony requires many volunteers and many hours of work in preparation.
If you have a moment, please leave a comment below thanking veterans and their families for all they have sacrificed for our country. And be sure to thank the Memorial Day Parade Committee for all their hard work!
And be sure to leave a special word of thanks to Sammie Cook and Sgt. Robinson for making our slide show so special.
May God grant us peace and protect our troops,
~julie
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My family calls me "the mamarazzi."
We don’t get this type of celebration here in the deep south. What a shame! I am always amazed and touched by Julie’s reporting of the Metuchen Memorial Day extravaganza. Heartland America at its very best! I am a veteran, tho I served in a time of relative peace, and am often moved to tears by the faces! Wonderful job Sammie and SGT Robinson! A special thanks to those in harms way today. Julie, your work is inspired!
Bless you, Julie! Once again you have captured the spirit and caring of our wonderful town. The Parade Committee is grateful for your committment to creating such lovely memories of this event- and for the enduring tribute you make each year to all our military in harms way and to our veterans. Your talent is a gift to all of us. Thank you!
Julie, Thank you so much for the wonderful pictures of the Memorial Day parade in Metuchen. Makes me want to move to Metuchen. To me you always seem to capture the essense of whatever you are shooting. Kind of like Norman Rockwell’s paintings.
Spoke to Rich in Japan, he and Beth were so excited that you were able to go there and photograph their family.
Best Regards,
Barbara
Memorial Day in Metuchen is a real tribute to all military veterans, and I salute you for bringing this to life for many to view. Julie, you have a talent that should be shared, and I intend to forward this to many others around the U.S. who I know would enjoy it at much as I did. Thank you Diane for sharing.
Julie,
I live in Michigan and my daughter, Tracy DeJonge, who is in Metuchen, sends me all the slide shows you do. They are always wonderful but this Memorial Day tribute was one of the best I have seen. The music, pictures and narration was beyond words, and full of tears….in a good way. Thank you for honoring our military in such a heartfelt way.
Diane Rosado
Wow.Thank you Julie for my tears of sadness for those at war, that we may all remember to keep them close at heart and in our prayers. Thank you for tears of joy, over our beloved Metuchen and fellow man who has served and come home safely. Hugs to you, xo!
I am joining the ranks of the cry babies who couldn’t hold back the tears during this moving and GORGEOUS tribute. It just reminded me how grateful I am for the freedom that we often take for granted these days. PS that’s my 4 yr old daughter with the streamers pasted on her back, skipping and holding her best buddy’s hand in the parade! You captured the moment perfectly. Can we purchase any of the photos you took that day? There were a few of the sights of Metuchen that I just absolutely loved! You are unbelievably talented.
Hi Jennifer,
I am planning to put up a gallery for people who would like to order prints. Proceeds will benefit a local charity, so if anybody has a suggestion for a favorite veterans-based charity, I’d love to hear it!
Julie.
A couple of organizations who are directly dealing with our present casualties.
The American Legion has operation Lansthaul. This provides immediate clothes to our patients flown in to Germany. When casualties arrive they only have the clothes on their backs. This program provides immediate essentials of personal need underwear hygiene supplies. Another program is cash assistance to families to visit and stay with their wounded relatives. Also to provide assistance in maintaining their homes. We also have a special fund to provide college tuition to children of any Armed Forces Person who has been killed since 9/11 called Legacy Scholarship. All info available at AMERICAN LEGION.ORG.
Other organization programs WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT provides financial and volunteer support. FISCHER HOUSE is just like McDonalds House. Fischer provides housing for families to stay close to hospital were their wounded relative is receiving care.
Thank You again
Walter Zjawin
Is this a good link, Walter? I want to pick a good program to support, so if you have a favorite, please let me know.
http://www.legion.org/programs
Julie that is a good website. The legacy fund is for the education of children of the fallen to help them achieve a higher education.I feel that is the most important to provide a better future. We owe it to the fallen to take care of their children.
Thanks again Julie you are truly a gifted artist.
sincerely Walter Zjawin
Julie-
You never ceace to amaze me. You love, kindness, goodness shows through all of your work. You are an amazing person!
GREAT WORK as always.
Love
Doriann
Oh dear… I just scrolled down and saw that someone beat me to the punch. If I hadn’t HAD to call Kim to cry with and if I hadn’t had to spend 30 minutes singing your praises, I’d have gotten it first!! We miss you, too, Julie… But you are needed there, documenting what is good and right with the world. Don’t ever forget how important you are to the rest of us who get too caught up in the minutia to remember to see the big picture (and the small little badges!) xo Beth
What a wonderful town! The parade committee deserves an award for heart, spirit, devotion and loyalty to a long-standing cause. Kudos to all of you! Mr. Robinson’s voice added so much to the presentation. Please thank him for me! I am in tears and at least for today, I will not take my freedom for granted.
It’s the I love Chocolate badge, right?!
<3
I miss you so much, Beth!
Mr. Robinson’s last line combined with the drawing by one of the children about praying for soldiers, Julie, I lost it, and men aren’t supposed to lose it. You are one mean storyteller. I mean that in a good way.
Thank you Julie. That was wonderful. It made me feel proud to be an American (and a Metuchenite too). You have such a gift.
Absolutely beautiful, Julie. Great job!
Wow, that was so beautiful and amazing. You are one of a kind! Where is this magical place you live? I noticed the “I love chocolate” patch- is that it?
That’s IT!!!!
Oh man, did I mention that I haven’t been to sleep in two days? Heading to the vending machine now for m&ms…
Thanks Carena!