Sandyvale Memorial Day Celebration

Monday, May 29th – Sandyvale Memorial Gardens will hold its annual Memorial Day Ceremony at 10 A.M on Monday, May 29th at 80 Hickory Street in the Hornerstown neighborhood of Johnstown, PA. The annual ceremony honoring veterans of all conflicts will have a special pinning ceremony for all attending veterans, and will be commemorating with special symbolism the observance of the 70th Anniversary of the United States Air Force. We are proud to announce that our keynote speaker will be Air Force Colonel Karen A. Esaias, the first woman military ever to speak at a Sandyvale Memorial Day Ceremony. A parade into the site will take place with musical selections by Bagpiper Jeff DeLisa. Various military units, scouts and other attendees along with The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and their Ladies Auxiliary in period dress will all be present for the posting of the colors and special wreath presentations which will be accompanied by musical selections sung by Dianne Frye-DeLisa. Last year over 100 veterans attended the Sandyvale Memorial Day service and were honored during a pinning ceremony as part of that event. They have given us much, we celebrate their lives and their sacrifices. During the remembrance ceremony, President Bill Horner will also present the annual “Friends of Sandyvale Award” posthumously to three gentlemen who worked in the 1990’s to establish the Sandyvale Cemetery Association, Inc. and worked to oversee the care and protection of the Sandyale site which was abandoned and neglected. Their families will be present to accept the awards. Following the ceremony we will celebrate the lives of all our veterans with musical selections on the greenhouse patio, military exhibits, food provided by Flair of Country Catering, inflatable children’s games and activities, horseback rides by “Best of Friends Therapeutic Horseback Riding”, an antique and classic car and motorcycle cruise and a plant sale for the enjoyment of the community. This event is free and open to the general public through the sponsorships of The Tax Lady LLC, FNB Bank, JWF Industries, CamTran, 1st Summit Bank, RE/MAX Team Realtors, Dale Oxygen, Laurel Plumbing & HVAC, Slovenian Savings and Loan, Northwest Savings Bank, and Moxham GBU. Sandyvale has historically been a community gathering place, where citizens have come together to honor their veterans since the Revolutionary War. In the 1800’s it is where city residents gathered to not only commemorate but to socialize, picnic and recreate, and the community is again finding relaxation and enjoyment in this beautiful space.