By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
ALLEGANY — Sponsors of the Allegany Memorial Day Parade proceeded with the parade from the fire hall to the Allegany Town Hall Veterans Memorial Monday morning despite showers.
The parade was led by the Allegany Fire Department and an Honor Guard from Charles Harbel Post 892 in Allegany.
Others in the parade included Boy Scout Troop 677, Allegany Legion Riders, Enchanted Mountains Garden Club, My Sunshine School and USA National Miss New York State Sophia Babb of Allegany.
About 100 children and adults marched down Main Street at the end of the parade. Some carried umbrellas to ward off the raindrops.
Maj. Matt Rado introduced the keynote speaker at the Memorial Day service, Gold Star Mother Katie Clemons, who he called a hero.
Clemons is the mother of the late Sgt. Shawn Clemons, who died in an explosion at a weapons cache in Afghanistan Jan. 29, 2004.
“I became a member of an organization I did not sign up for or ever wanted to join,” she said of her son’s death.
As a Gold Star mother, she has helped many other military families with their grief after losing a loved one in the military.
Honor Guard at the Memorial Day service at Allegheny Town Hall Monday.
