The East Moriches community will line Main Street on Sunday, November 9th for its annual Veterans Day Parade — a popular event that celebrates the courage and sacrifice of all who served in America’s armed forces.
This year’s Grand Marshal, U.S. Navy veteran Ina Casali, will lead the procession to help honor all who served and defended the freedoms Americans enjoy.
Veterans Day traces its roots to the end of World War I, when the guns fell silent on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. Originally known as Armistice Day, it was established to commemorate peace and to honor those who fought in “the war to end all wars.” In 1954, following World War II and the Korean conflict, Congress renamed it Veterans Day to recognize veterans of all eras.
“Veterans Day isn’t about glorifying war,” said parade organizer Miriam Gillies. “It’s about honoring service — the courage, duty, and selflessness of men and women who answered their country’s call.”
The parade, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of the Moriches, will feature the Center Moriches High School Band, Scout troops, fire departments, civic organizations, and elected officials. The event begins with a ceremony at 2 p.m. at the Eagle Monument on Main Street and concludes at Soldiers and Sailors Park.
Grand Marshal Casali, a Vietnam-era Navy veteran and longtime educator, has dedicated decades to helping fellow service members and their families. She embodies the parade’s theme of service and remembrance, said organizer Victoria Hedberg “We are honored to have this esteemed veteran lead the parade,” the chamber volunteer said.
Since its founding in 2018, the East Moriches Veterans Day Parade has grown each year, uniting the community in gratitude for those who served — and reminding all that freedom is never free.