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Memorial Day schedule

CANFIELD — The 97th annual Canfield Memorial Day services begin at 10 a.m. today at the gazebo on the Canfield Village Green. The featured speaker will be Colonel Matt Kinkead, U.S. Army. Following the ceremony, there will be a procession to the Canfield East Cemetery where a second brief ceremony will honor deceased Canfield veterans. Participants will then return to the Canfield War Vets Museum where a final ceremony will be held to honor the following individuals whose names have been added to the Wall of Honor: David L. Beachler (World War II); Patrick M. Chittock (Iraq and Afghanistan); Joseph W. Bonacci (Vietnam); Edward H. Peters (WWII); Sean V. Devlin (Vietnam and Desert Storm); Kevin W. Peters (Kosovo); Kevin A. Chittock (War on Terrorism and Afghanistan); Malin L. Peters (Desert Storm and Iraq); and Patrick L. Chittock (Lebanon and Grenada). Those attending the ceremonies are encouraged to bring a single, non-perishable food item which will be donated to area veterans by the Zion Lutheran Church Veterans Food Bank. Drop off points will be located near the gazebo, in front of the Canfield Township Hall, 21 S. Broad St. and the War Vets Museum. Non-serviceable American flags can be dropped off at the collection box on the porch of the War Vets Museum throughout the year. In the event of inclement weather, the Ceremony on the Green portion of the services will be held in the Canfield High School auditorium.

GREENFORD — Greenford Ruritan Club will host its Memorial Day parade, 9 a.m. today. Speaker is Major Mark Stepuk; parade line up starts at 8 a.m. at the Greenford Christian Church parking lot. Judging begins at 8:30 a.m.; all township veterans, are invited to meet at 8:30 a.m. at the church to ride on a float in the parade; 330-402-5655.

4LISBON — Village of Lisbon will have Memorial Day activities starting with a parade at 9 a.m. today. An abbreviated service follows at 9:15 a.m. at the Methodist Church fellowship hall. Veterans, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and any other youth and civic organizations are welcome to participate in the parade. Line-up for the parade begins at 8:45 a.m. at the Eagles Christian Preschool.

MOULTRIE — West Township Memorial Association has announced that Memorial Day services today will be held at Moultrie Chapel on state Route 172. The march to decorate graves begins at 2 p.m. led by Don V. Cross American Legion Post 357 of Minerva. Bridget Hilliard, a fifth grader from Minerva Elementary School, will recite the Gettysburg Address. Patriotic music and taps will be provided by Minerva Community Band. The program at the chapel includes speaker Lt. Benjamin G. Smith. Veterans and Gold Star families will be recognized. Special music will be provided by Christine Foutz. Congregational singing follows. Ice cream will be served. Smith grew up in West Township and graduated from United High School and Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta with a degree in mechanical engineering. He also graduated from University of North Carolina with a master’s degree in business administration. He earned his Navy “Wings of Gold” as a helicopter pilot in 2010. Smith was deployed with Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 11 (Dragon Slayers) aboard the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Enterprise on its last overseas cruise from March until October 2012. For most of the past four years, Smith has been an instructor pilot with Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 3 (Merlins) stationed at Naval Air Station, North Island in San Diego, Calif. Within the past month, Smith has reported aboard the USS Essex, a smaller carrier designed for amphibious operation, as the ship’s air safety officer. It is scheduled to deploy to the Western Pacific and the Middle East later this summer. Smith and his wife Rachel reside in San Diego with their daughter, Mayer, 1.

SALEM –Salem Memorial and Patriotic Association’s Memorial Day activities for todaY: breakfast for veterans and selected persons, 7:45 a.m., St. Paul School; memorial service, 9 a.m., Village Green; line-up of procession units, 9:30 a.m.; procession leaves for Hope Cemetery at 10 a.m. with memorial service at 11 a.m.; speaker, Colonel Walter M. Duzzny Sr. of Austintown.

WASHINGTONVILLE — Today, a “Toast at the Post” honoring deceased veterans will be held at 9 a.m. at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5532, Washingtonville. A parade will form at the A1 Processing parking lot, 325 W. Main St., Washingtonville. The parade steps out at 10 a.m., proceeding to the Veterans Memorial at the post. The Leetonia High School band, under the direction of Randy Rodik, will participate. Local youth and civic organization are invited to join the parade. Keynote speaker will be Michael Ferraro Sr., a World War II Navy veteran who spent 21 days on a raft after his ship went down in the South Pacific. For service to his country, Ferraro was awarded the American Defense Medal, Asiatic Pacific Medal and WW II Victory Medal. He has an extensive musical background that includes the Pittsburgh and Wheeling Symphony Orchestras and has served as the music supervisor and band director at New Castle High School. He also served as the mayor of Bessemer, Pa. for eight years. Following the service, a wreath-laying ceremony will be held at Oakdale Cemetery in Leetonia at the grave site on Medal of Honor recipient Ralph E. Dias. The Memorial Day activities are sponsored by York Drexler Post 5532, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Washingtonville and Joe Williams Post 131, American Legion, Leetonia. Food will be served at both locations following the program.

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