Rain and thunderstorms in forecast for Memorial Day

Photo by Tom Rivers: Americans flags are placed next to veterans’ graves at the Western New York National Cemetery in Pembroke on Saturday.

It will likely be a wet Memorial Day, and the rain could hit during the parades and community observances.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo said showers and thunderstorms will be before 1 p.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 1 and 2 p.m. There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. with the new rainfall totaling a quarter to half inch. The high will be near 75.

The Memorial Day observances in Orleans County include the following:

ALBION – The parade starts at 10 a.m. at Main Street near the Park Street intersection. From there the processional goes to East Avenue, and then to the middle school.

A service will be held in front of the middle school at approximately 11 a.m.

HOLLEY – There will be a service outside the American Legion at 9 p.m. and then a new historical marker will be dedicated for the nine young men from Holley who were killed during the Vietnam War.

Holley will unveil the marker in front of the former Holley High School. After the marker is dedicated, a parade will follow to Hillside Cemetery.

The marker for the “Holley Boys” recognizes the nine from Holley who were killed during the Vietnam War: John P. Davis, David D. Case, Ronnie P. Sisson, David P. States, Howard Bowen, Gary E. Bullock, Gary L. Stymus, George W. Fischer Jr. and Paul S. Mandracchia. Holley had one of the highest per capita casualty rates in the country during the Vietnam War.

KENDALL – A ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 30, at the Kendall Community Park where there is a war memorial and gazebo. It is located on Kendall Road, across from the Kendall Elementary School. Kendall observes the holiday on May 30, which was the original day of Memorial Day. It was changed to the be the last Monday of May in 1968 to have a three-day weekend for federal employees.

LYNDONVILLE – A parade will start at 9 a.m. from the parking lot at the former St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on Lake Avenue and participants will march to the library for the ceremony which follows. (Lyndonville announced this morning the parade and service have been cancelled due to the anticipated rough weather.)

MEDINA – The parade will start at 11 a.m. at the Olde Pickle Factory building on Park Avenue and proceed to the State Street Park where a ceremony will be held at about noon. (Editor’s Note: Medina’s parade and service have been cancelled due to the inclimate weather.)