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Chicago Tribune
26-05-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
For many residents, Memorial Day parade in Aurora a longstanding tradition: ‘We come every year'
Lauren Wasulko and her family have a tradition of attending Aurora's Memorial Day parade. 'We come every year and I always did it as a kid,' she said as she and her family awaited the start of the city's Memorial Day parade Monday morning. 'We love Aurora and we love the United States and supporting our local community. We love the marching bands and supporting the local high schools. The kids love coming to the parade and already asked me to pack the candy bags so they can get the candy and wave to the local heroes.' Beginning at 10 a.m., the parade stepped off at Benton Street and River Street in downtown Aurora where crowds had gathered throughout the morning to enjoy the event. The parade grand marshal was Arlen Peterson, 89, who has lived in Aurora for more than 60 years and served in Germany as a member of the U.S. Army from 1954-1955. Jim Cather of Oswego, who is a first cousin of Peterson, stood along River Street as the parade was about to begin and said for him, the holiday is meaningful as 'my dad and all of his brothers were in World War II.' 'Arlen was 11 years younger and he went into the military at 18 and didn't serve in any war but it meant a lot to him to do what his uncles did (serve in the military),' he said. The parade featured local marching bands, veterans groups and military organizations, the South Shore Drill Team, Lamplighters Barbershop Chorus and more. Jon Zaghloul, communications manager for the city of Aurora, said the parade continues to be a significant part of residents' celebration of Memorial Day. 'The city of Aurora finds itself doing its best at all times to honor a strong veteran community,' he said. 'That's evident through the multitude of parades and the way we honor them throughout the year. We have Memorial Day and Veterans Day parades as well as multiple events for the Fourth of July.' Zaghloul said the Memorial Day parade 'is really a two-fold event.' 'Number one, we get the opportunity to honor all of the brave men and women who have served this country and lost their lives to protect our freedom,' he said. 'Secondly, it's a great opportunity to bring people together and have a community gathering and fellowship and really take pride in Aurora.' Stacy Cather said she 'was lucky to be off work and come and honor the veterans that have passed before us.' 'Today is especially important as we know the man of honor (Arlen Peterson) and the sacrifices he's made and all the friends he's lost,' she said. Bob Mead of Oswego was part of the Roosevelt Aurora American Legion Post 84 float in the parade and said he served in the Army. 'I always like getting together with my fellow veterans and seeing the crowd,' he said of the parade. 'I look forward to it every year. It's a great day.'
Chicago Tribune
22-05-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Aurora area gets ready to celebrate Memorial Day weekend
The Aurora area has plenty of activities planned to celebrate Memorial Day weekend. In Aurora, the annual Memorial Day parade will begin at 10 a.m. Monday, May 26, at Benton and River streets in the city's downtown. The grand marshal of this year's parade will be Arlen Peterson, 89, who has lived in Aurora for over 60 years and served in Germany as a member of the U.S. Army from 1954-1955, according to a city press release about the parade. Following his time in the military, he served as a postal carrier and air traffic controller, according to the release. He has also spent years in ministry in Aurora, including time as a leader at Wayside Cross Ministries and the former Claim Street Baptist Church. The parade will also feature local veterans groups and military organizations, including the Aurora Veterans Advisory Council, Roosevelt Aurora American Legion Post 84, Fox Valley Marines Detachment 1233, the Daughters of the American Revolution and the G.A.R. Memorial Commission, city officials said. Marching bands from East Aurora High School, West Aurora High School, Waubonsie Valley High School, Scullen Middle School and Fischer Middle School will be in the parade, along with the Roosevelt Aurora American Legion Band. Other parade participants will include the South Shore Drill Team, the Lamplighters Barbershop Chorus, Costumers with a Cause, the Phillips Park Zoo, the Aurora Public Library's Bookmobile, the East Aurora NJROTC, the West Aurora High School Cheer Team and Diamond Dance Academy. A variety of events are planned in St. Charles to honor Memorial Day, including cemetery ceremonies, a parade, a memorial service and a community breakfast fundraiser. 'Let's come together as a community to honor our fallen service members on Memorial Day,' said St. Charles Mayor Clint Hull in a press release from the city. 'It is so important to remember and show respect for all those who have sacrificed their lives in the service of our nation.' Flag-raising and cemetery ceremonies in St. Charles will begin at 6 a.m. Monday at Baker Community Center, 101 S. Second St., with the Boy Scouts posting colors, an honor guard and an honorary gun salute, organizers said. Boy Scout troops will then lead flag ceremonies beginning at the South Cemetery on the east side of Seventh Avenue, north of Madison, continuing on to the North Cemetery on the west side of Fifth Avenue, north of Johnor Avenue, then concluding at the Union Cemetery on the east side of Fifth Avenue, north of Stonehedge Road. St. Charles veterans will host a veterans community breakfast fundraiser from 7:30 to 10 a.m. Monday at Baker Memorial Church, 307 Cedar Ave. The cost of the breakfast is $5 per person. For all current and former fire, police, uniformed Scouts, emergency services personnel and members of the military and veterans, the breakfast is free. St. Charles will hold its Memorial Day parade beginning at 10 a.m. at Sixth and Main streets, with the parade continuing to Riverside Avenue. New this year is a March of Honor, with the community invited to walk in the parade as a tribute to the more than 1,300 veterans buried in St. Charles area cemeteries, organizers said. The first 100 people who show up with an American flag to hold (flags will not be provided) at 9 a.m. at Sixth and Walnut streets will be included in the parade, according to the press release. A memorial service will immediately follow the parade at 10:45 a.m. at the Freedom Shrine along the river, west of the former St. Charles Police Department, 211 N. Riverside Ave., officials said. In the case of bad weather, the ceremony will be held inside St. Charles Fire Station 1, at 112 N. Riverside Ave. The memorial service will include Hull reading the annual proclamation, a keynote address and taps being played. In Geneva, the American Legion Fox River Geneva Post 75 will step off its annual Memorial Day parade beginning at 10 a.m. Monday from the Geneva Train Station downtown. The parade will feature a color guard, local veterans, youth Scouting organizations and the Geneva High School marching band, according to a press release. The procession will travel north on Third Street to the World War I Memorial in Wheeler Park, where a Memorial Day ceremony will be held. United Methodist Church of Geneva at 211 Hamilton St. in downtown Geneva will host its annual Memorial Day pancake breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. Monday. The event will offer all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage, coffee, juice and milk. The proceeds from the breakfast will be donated to charities, according to a press release about the event. Tickets are on sale via the church's website at and will also be available at the event. Ticket prices for those 13 years old and older are $10, with tickets for children 3 to 12 years old set at $5. Those younger than 3 years old eat for free at the event. 'There's something special that happens when a shared meal turns into a shared mission,' said the Rev. Rob Hamilton of United Methodist Church of Geneva in the release. 'Our annual pancake breakfast is more than a community tradition, it's an expression of our calling to serve. I am proud that every dollar of profit goes directly to support organizations making a difference locally and beyond.' Batavia Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1197 will hold a Memorial Day ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. Monday at the post, 645 S. River St. in Batavia. The free program, which is open to the public, will include performances by the Batavia Community Band, a wreath-laying ceremony, a tribute to POW/MIA soldiers, the playing of taps and a rifle salute, organizers said. The Oswego Memorial Day parade, hosted by Oswego American Legion Post 675, will begin at 10 a.m. on Monday. The parade will travel from Polk Street to Monroe Street to Jefferson Street to Main Street, with a final stop at the Oswego Township Cemetery where a memorial service will be held. The Yorkville American Legion is inviting all area residents to attend the annual Memorial Day service starting at 11:30 a.m. on Monday at Town Square Park, 301 N. Bridge St. in Yorkville. The ceremony will feature the reading of names printed on the memorial in Yorkville Town Square, music by the Yorkville Middle School Band and speakers, officials said.
