Greenwood Lake honors local heroes at Memorial Day ceremony

The Memorial Day ceremony at the Arthur Finnegan American Legion Post 1443 in Greenwood Lake, N.Y., was a somber and deeply personal event focused on honoring local sacrifice rather than merely celebrating a holiday, a sacred time of remembrance for those who gave their lives for the country, a cost that provides the very foundation of American freedom.

Town Supervisor Jesse Dwyer notes sacrifice from the Revolutionary War to modern conflicts

Town Supervisor Jesse Dwyer linked the day’s significance to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States, tracing the line of sacrifice from the Revolutionary War to modern conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, that became the central theme – the personal nature of loss in a small community.

Dwyer remarked that many of these names did not just speak of “distant names in a history book,” but of neighbors, teachers, and teammates. The list of specific local heroes who were honored, included:

Major Jamie Leonard and Staff Sergeant Eric Christian, both lost in Afghanistan, First Lieutenant Lou Allen, who was Supervisor Dwyer’s high school physics teacher, Lance Corporal Scott Lynch, a Greenwood Lake native and Little League teammate of the supervisor, and Arthur Finnegan, the post’s namesake.

The service included an explanation of the poignant symbolism of a small, set table for POW/MIA colleagues: the white cloth representing pure intentions, a single rose for shed blood, and a slice of lemon and salt to signify the bitter fate and tears of those missing and their families.

Hundreds of names read aloud during Roll Call of Deceased Members

This was followed by a lengthy Roll Call of Deceased Members, where hundreds of names were read aloud to ensure their individual identities remain part of the village’s history. Attendees later remarked on the emotional weight of this list, noting it was “difficult to listen to” because they knew so many of the names called.

The indoor proceedings concluded with expressions of gratitude for the Ladies Auxiliary, the Sons of the Legion, and the various local emergency services, including the Police, Fire, and Ambulance Corps. The event then moved outdoors for the placing of wreaths, a rifle salute, and the raising of the American flag. Father Reynor Santiago offered a closing prayer, entrusting the fallen to God’s mercy and praying for a world “wounded by violence and division.”

The day’s formal events ended with an invitation to a community barbecue, allowing residents to transition from solemn reflection to a celebration of the community and freedoms protected by the fallen.