Marching bands, scouts, and veterans will fill the streets of Farmingdale on Monday, when the community honors the country's lost war heroes during its annual Memorial Day Parade.

The event, which is organized by the Farmingdale Fire Department, will kickoff at 10 a.m. at the intersection of Quaker Meeting House Road and Thomas Powell Blvd. Marchers will head down Bethpage Road, and will continue through Main Street, ending in front of the Farmingdale firehouse. The procession will feature four bands, 45 fire trucks from the Farmingdale and surrounding fire departments, 15 classic cars, and three village official cars.

Among the approximately 550 participants will be members of local community organizations, including Boy and Girl Scouts, Sons of Italy, Knights of Columbus and Farmingdale's Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 516, the Farmingdale High School and Howitt Middle School marching bands, as well as Farmingdale Mayor Joseph Trudden and other local dignitaries.

At about 11 a.m., VFW Post 516 and the Farmingdale Fire Department will conduct memorial wreath ceremonies on the Farmingdale Village Green. Farmingdale Fire Department 1st Assistant Chief Scott Lorenzen, who is heading arrangements for the event, requested that parade participants and onlookers stay for the solemn ceremonies in order to show respect for the veterans and their fallen comrades. "Anybody who participates is welcome to hot dogs and soda in the rear of the firehouse after the ceremonies," he said.

Another highlight of the day will be a ceremony to honor James "Jimmy" McKenna - who plans to participate in the parade for the 80th consecutive year - for his longtime commitment. As an 11-year-old boy at the Nazareth Trade School, a boys orphanage conducted by the Sisters of St. Dominic in Farmingdale, he first marched in the village's Memorial Day parade as a trumpeter with the "trade school" band. McKenna joined the Farmingdale Fire Department after leaving the orphanage, and is a life member. He also served as the village's clerk-treasurer until his retirement in 1975. "He's definitely committed to the veterans and to the Farmingdale Fire Department," said Lorenzen.

Lorenzen encouraged local folks to attend what promises to be an exciting community event.

"When we do have nice weather, the streets are always packed for this parade. It's always a beautiful, beautiful parade," he said. "Come on out and show respect for those who lost their lives fighting for our country. And, come out and enjoy the parade."

In addition to the parade, those who have fought for our country will be honored in another way this weekend. The Long Island National Cemetery Memorial Organization will be placing flags on veterans' graves on May 29 at 6:30 a.m. Volunteers are needed to assure each grave has a flag on it. The cemetery is located on Pinelawn Road in Farmingdale. Also, on May 30, the organization will hold a Memorial Day service at 1:30 p.m. at the cemetery.