SEASIDE HEIGHTS – A pandemic did not slow down a group of veterans from carrying out their mission of honoring fallen veterans for Memorial Day.
Seaside Heights residents Jen Suwak and Steve Abs were witness to an event that proceeded the effort and even captured on video and photographs to make sure the moments were recorded to inspire others.
Suwak said, “we shot this event this week for Frank Parese and the American Legion Post 351 (based in Seaside Heights).” Parese is a World War II veteran who has lived in Seaside Heights and has been a member of the post for many years.
Post Commander Bill Kevish thanked Suwak and Abs for coming out to the event on May 19. Kavish said that the placing of American flags on the graves is a tradition for the post during Memorial Day.
“Members of our post placed wearing their protective masks placed flags on the graves of veterans at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Toms River. Over 2,000 flags were placed on Veterans’ graves that day,” Kavish said.
On the morning of Memorial Day, six members of the post assembled outside their headquarters on Bay Boulevard and took part in a brief private ceremony in lieu of their usual Memorial Day service which is open to the public.
“While we didn’t have our usual Memorial Day program because of the pandemic, we each took a turn reading the names of those past members of the post who we lost over the years,” Kavish said.
