By STEPHANIE LONEY
Staff Writer

Despite the lack of a parade, Milford Kiwanians still held the annual Nelson’s Chicken barbecue at Milford Community Center. From left are Milford Kiwanis members Clark Jones, Dick Roose and Chuck Bird.

The town of Milford cancelled its annual Memorial Day Parade this morning due to the rain, but a ceremony still took place, just at a much earlier than announced time.

Under normal circumstances, Milford American Legion Post 226, otherwise known as the Ancil Geiger Post 226, always hosts a ceremony in remembrance of local fallen veterans at the end of the parade.

However, with the parade cancelled because of the weather, the ceremony at the cemetery, originally planned to begin at 11 a.m., started at 7:30 a.m. and concluded at 9 a.m.

“It’s a service we have every year, rain or shine,” said Chuck Bird, a veteran who took part in the ceremony. “Unfortunately we did it in the rain this year.”

Post Commander Stan Stump gave a short speech, but there was no major speaker this year unlike in years past.

The veterans visited seven local cemeteries in order to pay their respects to the veterans buried at each. They gave a 21-gun salute at each cemetery, where a few family members of the deceased veterans gathered to show respect and thanks for their relatives’ service.