Loganton celebrates community, country while honoring fallen soldiers with parade and ceremony on Memorial Day
AMBER MORRIS/FOR THE EXPRESS Technical Sergeant Zachery Conoway of the US Air Force leads the annual Memorial Day parade in Loganton carrying a folded American Flag in honor of soldiers who died while serving their country. Following behind Conoway is the Sugar Valley Rural Charter School Marching Band.
AMBER MORRIS/FOR THE EXPRESS Two year old Hudson Conoway is decked out in red, white and blue as he shares a special moment — and some candy — with his Pap, Nevin Conoway, at the parade. Hudson is the son of Noah and Janna Conoway.
AMBER MORRIS/FOR THE EXPRESS Commissioner Angela Harding (seated) listens as keynote speaker, Administrator for the Veterans Multi Service Center, Dustin Kinley, tells the crowd about the importance of Memorial Day.
AMBER MORRIS/FOR THE EXPRESS A 1957 Bel Air in “Tropical Turquoise,” driven by Gary Stover of Tylersville, was one of many showstopping classic cars in the lineup.
AMBER MORRIS/FOR THE EXPRESS Tractors are a big part of the parade.
AMBER MORRIS/FOR THE EXPRESS Technical Sergeant Zachery Conoway of the US Air Force leads the annual Memorial Day parade in Loganton carrying a folded American Flag in honor of soldiers who died while serving their country. Following behind Conoway is the Sugar Valley Rural Charter School Marching Band.
AMBER MORRIS/FOR THE EXPRESS Two year old Hudson Conoway is decked out in red, white and blue as he shares a special moment — and some candy — with his Pap, Nevin Conoway, at the parade. Hudson is the son of Noah and Janna Conoway.
AMBER MORRIS/FOR THE EXPRESS Commissioner Angela Harding (seated) listens as keynote speaker, Administrator for the Veterans Multi Service Center, Dustin Kinley, tells the crowd about the importance of Memorial Day.
AMBER MORRIS/FOR THE EXPRESS A 1957 Bel Air in “Tropical Turquoise,” driven by Gary Stover of Tylersville, was one of many showstopping classic cars in the lineup.
AMBER MORRIS/FOR THE EXPRESS Tractors are a big part of the parade.
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LOGANTON -- Under sunny Monday skies the fire whistle blew from atop the Sugar Valley Fire Company promptly at 2 p.m. -- the haunting sound spreading over the borough and across the rolling hills of Sugar Valley, announcing the official start of the town's annual Memorial Day Parade.
TSgt. Zachery Conoway of the United States Air Force led the parade carrying a folded American flag in honor of the fallen soldiers who never returned home.
The Sugar Valley Rural Charter School Marching Band, led by instructor Joseph Mauck, played "American Tribute," as the band marched in unison behind TSgt. Conoway.
The Loganton Memorial Day Parade is a favorite for all ages, and lasts about an hour, showcasing the area's finest classic cars, emergency vehicles, horses, floats and tractors.
In addition to the SVRCS Marching Band, the Central Mountain Marching Band and the Sugar Valley Community Band, each were in the parade, both performing a medley of familiar American anthems.
The youngest parade goers were the most dedicated, not letting the hot sun get to them as they waited patiently on the white road lines, with crumpled grocery bags looped around their wrists, hoping for a firefighter to toss a handful of tootsie rolls their way.
Following the parade, crowds moved to the center of town to listen to the afternoon program.
Master of Ceremonies Scott Kemmerer, welcomed the guests and introduced the speakers.
Pastor Dan Reed from the Loganton Wesleyan Church offered the invocation and benediction.
Loganton Mayor, David Shreckengast, spoke of two Sugar Valley soldiers who perished while serving -- PFC Larry Barner who died in Vietnam and SFC David Cooper who lost his life in the Middle East.
"There are certainly many others, I simply mention these two because of their closeness to my life. Many of you can fill in the blanks with the names of your loved ones and it just gets real personal," said Schreckengast. "We are not happy for the untold loved ones who had to pay the ultimate price of laying down their life, but we sure are glad for the freedom they bought us, that we enjoy here today. Remember, it's the soldier that has made the difference. Let's not forget the real reason behind all of this."
"It's like the old church hymn proclaimed 'glorious freedom, no more chains, no more bondage.' It's a kind of freedom that's not just another word, for nothing left to lose. A freedom that's certainly not free but paid for by the laying down of lives," continued Schreckengast. "As the Civil War soldiers would sing those solemn words of The Battle Hymn of the Republic, 'as he died to make men holy, let us live to make men free.' We have hope, and that hope and democracy has been strengthened by those who have given their lives to protect our shores of freedom at home and abroad."
Clinton County Commissioner Angela Harding stressed the importance of not forgetting the sacrifice of the fallen soldier throughout the year.
"Clinton County doesn't forget, Clinton County will never forget. This weekend Clinton County, in all of its townships and villages, has honored the fallen and their families, and Clinton County is grateful for freedom each and every day," stated Harding. "As we close out this celebration of remembrance for all those who have given it all -- the ultimate sacrifice -- let us honor them for the next 365 days by making our own sacrifices."
Harding asked the crowd to think of this when everyday life gets hectic.
"Let's remember those who sacrificed everything they had so we could have those moments in our life," she said. "Try to be more patient, try to be kinder to each other. Let's be the best that we can be."
Keynote speaker, Sgt Dustin Kinley, Administrator for the Veterans Multi-Service Center spoke of the United States war soldier who served in conflicts worldwide, but then shared an alarming statistic that made people in the stands gasp.
"35,005 is the number of soldiers -- airmen, sailors, coast guardsmen and marines -- who gave their lives since World War I from Pennsylvania," he said. "Each one paid the ultimate sacrifice knowing they were leaving behind husbands, wives, children, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters. That is what today is truly about, and why we remember them. May their legacy and gift to each of us never be forgotten and continue to live on in the generations to come."
Marine Corps Sgt. Kirk A. Johnson placed a wreath at the Honor Roll monument, stopping to salute the names on the stone.
The Sugar Valley Community Band played patriotic songs between speakers, ending the event with two trumpet players, at separate ends of the crowd, playing Taps.
The large crowd dispersed, and families hurried off to picnics and to the Sugar Valley fire station for chicken, returning Loganton to the quiet, small -- and free -- American town in the middle of Pennsylvania, that it is most days of the year.