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HARRISON, N.Y. - Friday morning's parade in West Harrison wasn't about any single town resident. A large crowd gathered in the sunshine as some of America's bravest headlined the West Harrison Veterans Day Parade.
"Harrison's a nice place to live and the reason why it's a nice place to live is because of the names that are on that monument over there," Joe Mazzulo of the American Legion said, motioning to the West Harrison Honor Roll monument. "All of the veterans from this area served in the military to keep this area the way it is."
Mazzulo was just one of the many honored veterans who spoke at a ceremony that immediately followed the Veterans Day parade down Underhill Avenue.
"This is not day off because it's a day off from your job," Mazzulo said. "It's a day off because of the veterans."
Harrison Mayor and Supervisor Joan Walsh also spoke at the ceremony and honored Harrison's heroes. Other honored guests in attendance included Veterans Service Officer Ben DeFonce, General Evo Riguzzi of the U.S. Army, John Zilembo, commander of VFW Post 5463, Richard Bertoli, and several local heroes.
"This is our national treasure right here before us," Riguzzi said of the decorated veterans in attendance. "If you ever wonder what veterans have done, just know you're witnessing it because you're living it at this very moment."
Music was provided by Rebecca Haviland, who opened the festivities by singing the National Anthem. The Harrison High School Band was also present, alongside the three Harrison fire departments and local emergency medical services, police department, boy scouts and other local groups.
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