Village Changes Parade Time to Appease Veterans

In an attempt to appease local veterans who were this year, village officials have changed the time once again.

The May 30 parade will  begin at its normally scheduled time, 11 a.m. The village had moved it to 9 a.m. in an attempt to attract more participants and spectators, but the decision created backlash among members of the American Legion Post 44.

The veterans criticized the village for not discussing the ramifications of the decision with them in advance, saying that the new start time would mean some groups would not be available to march including the military music group they worked hard to acquire, the Our Lady of Good Council band.

Instead, the Pride of Malverne High School Marching Band would perform a medley of service branch songs and other military music, while the Malverne Fire Department and Howard T. Herber Middle School bands would also march.

After learning that some veterans were planning not to march in the parade unless the decision to change the start time was reversed, the village board relented Thursday night.

"By no means was this suppose to be a power struggle," Mayor Patricia Norris McDonald told Patch, who also stated that the allegations that the board changed the time for the sake of those who had barbecues to get to that afternoon was untrue.

McDonald said that her administration as well as past boards have discussed moving the parade to an earlier time in hopes of boosting turnout, which in recent years has dwindled.

"This was not meant to be disrespectul or insenstive to anyone," she said, adding that she took offense to the statements that American Legion Commander John Hassett and his family members had been spewing about the treatment of the vets by her and the board. "I take offense...I had family who fought in battle and a nephew serving in Afghanistan."

McDonald said she, along with village officials, met with the commander and a resolution was made  to change the start time back to 11 a.m -  for this year alone. Going forward a committee will be created to discuss the parade schedule for future dates.

"The committee will sit down and talk about coming to a compromise," McDonald added.

McDonald said one of the motivations for giving in to the veterans' request to move the start time back was the time she has spent in the hospital of late with Deputy Mayor James Callahan, who is still recovering from a stroke he suffered six weeks ago.

While the mayor had reported that Callahan, 42, had been doing well, his condition recently took a turn for the worst.

"He is gravely ill," McDonald said, asking the community to keep him and his family in their thoughts and prayers. "It put things into perspective."

Despite the time change, the Malverne High School marching band will still be leading the parade and playing the military music they have been working on despite the fact that one veteran questioned their ability to perform it correctly at a recent board meeting.

To the critics of this decision, McDonald said, "Shame on them."

"All these kids have been practicing, putting in their time, energy and effort to do the military march...they derserve to lead the parade," she said, adding that they are reigning state champions.

She also thanked the band for being flexible, willing to work with whatever time the village decided upon.

"The people who have been cooperative show what the village of Malverne is all about. They know what is important," she added.

Among these people, she also included the members of the V.F.W. and their commander, who had decided to boycott the boycott of the parade earlier in the week.

"The men of the V.F.W. were putting aside their differences and were marching no matter what time the parade started," she said. "That is what is important - just to march as a community."  

American Legion Commander John Hassett did not immediately return requests for comment.