Highland Park Memorial Day Observance

The City of Highland Park held its annual Memorial Day Observance in an auditorium with a powerful message: Dream…Believe…Achieve…. The ceremony occurred on May 25 at 11 a.m. inside the air-conditioned auditorium of Highland Park High School, followed by a barbecue lunch in the sunny courtyard.

The Jewish War Veterans Post 29 organized the bell ceremony, a key part of the event. This ceremony included three rings of the bell, marking the occasion. The bell continues to vibrate after the Memorial Day Observance, emphasizing its significance.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to come together and celebrate a great community and a wonderful country,”

Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering mentioned during the event. The ceremony featured speeches, performances by the Highland Park High School Band, and bugle players performing “Taps”.

Guest speakers included Sonja Marie Martin, a retired U.S. Army staff sergeant, and U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel Ryan M. Dunbar. Martin served from 1987 to 2008 and has resided in Highland Park since 2011. She expressed her admiration for the community, stating, “I really love Highland Park. The people, the area, are really great.” She felt surprised and honored to be selected as a speaker.

Memorial Day serves as a day to remember those who sacrificed their lives, and in Highland Park, it also reminds residents of the tragedy during the Independence Day parade shooting on July 4, 2022. Martin remarked on the community’s resilience: “In the face of adversity, we were able to come together and embrace one another.”

Linda Iovino, representing the American Legion Auxiliary of North Shore American Legion Post #738, shared her family’s military history. Her father, Neil P. Iovino, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1939, serving until 1948 as a gunnery sergeant. He was a prisoner of war in the Philippine Islands and part of the Bataan Death March. Linda emphasized, “Freedom is not free,” highlighting her appreciation for veterans.

Karie Angell Luc, a freelancer for Pioneer Press, reported on the event.