The culmination of months of preparing will transform the streets of Farmingdale Monday, when hundreds of marchers honor America's lost war heroes in the community's annual Memorial Day Parade.

The procession will begin at 10 a.m. at Thomas Powell Blvd., will head down Bethpage Road, and will continue through Main Street, ending in front of the Farmingdale firehouse. Among the marchers will be local Veteran of Foreign War (VFW) members, approximately 600 local boy and girl scouts, the Farmingdale, South Farmingdale, and East Farmingdale fire departments, local dignitaries and the Farmingdale High School Marching Band.

Immediately following the parade, the high school band will play the national anthem, and at 11 a.m. a memorial service for lost service men and women will take place in front of Village Hall. After the ceremony, the Farmingdale Fire Department will present its Gerngras Scholarship to one college-bound student who is a relative of a department member.

Farmingdale Fire Department First Assistant Chief Donald Tortoso noted in a recent interview that the parade's organizers are trying to keep the procession true to its purpose of honoring lost war heroes. "We just want to keep up that tradition. The fire department takes great pride in that," he said adding, "They died for our country."

In keeping with this philosophy, the fire department has allowed only non-profit organizations to march in the parade, such as VFW members, and scouts. "We just want to have the organizations that honor the members of the armed forces, and that's what it's for," Tortoso said.

In addition to those groups already mentioned, the procession will feature the following: Howitt Middle School Band, Farmingdale Kiwanis, Official Cars, Antique Cars, parade marshals, Bethpage Lodge 975 Masons, Knights of Columbus, Columbus Lodge 2143, Farmingdale and East Farmingdale Fire Department bands, police, Farmingdale Police Activity League (PAL), Farmingdale-Bethpage Historical Society and Farmingdale Christian Church Missionettes.

The Farmingdale Fire Department has hosted the parade since 1918, and, therefore, the event has spanned generations of local people. For example, Jim McKenna, a life member of the Farmingdale Fire Department, has marched in the procession for 77 consecutive years, and was honored last year with a Nassau County proclamation for his efforts.

In addition to remembering the military men and women who have lost their lives serving this country, the long-held tradition is a chance to recognize local veterans, according to Tortoso. "They think it's great that we do this," he said, "They can march down Main Street and have all the people clap for them."

Tortoso, for his part, is also looking forward to the event. "It's such a wonderful feeling, you know," he said. "You come down Main Street and you see all these people who came out for the fallen veterans."