Berlin veterans move Memorial Day ceremony indoors after parade canceled by rain

Rain forced organizers in Berlin to cancel the town’s annual Memorial Day Parade Monday morning, but veterans and residents still gathered to honor fallen service members.

“We waited until 6:00 this morning to cancel,” said Charles Colaresi, chairman of the Berlin Veterans Commission. “If it was nice today, Farmington Avenue would have been packed with people.”

Colaresi said the decision was not easy.

“We had the 102nd Army Reserve Band coming to march with us,” he said. “We had a flyover from the Connecticut Air National Guard.”

Still, organizers quickly pivoted.

“Always a contingency plan,” Colaresi said. “We’re always going to have a ceremony.”

Instead of marching outside, the ceremony was moved indoors to the Robert Dornfried Sr. VFW building on Massirio Drive.

People still filled the space for the music, traditions and remembrance central to Memorial Day observances.

Maj. Nicholas Barwikowski of the U.S. Army’s 1st Battalion, 145th Aviation Regiment delivered remarks during the ceremony and became emotional while speaking about fellow service members.

“For those of us who’ve served, Memorial Day carries a different kind of weight,” Barwikowski said. “Remember their faces, their laughter…”

The major paused briefly as he fought back tears before continuing his speech.

Barwikowski said the ceremony also marked a personal milestone. He plans to retire July 1 after years of military service.

“This is kind of the culmination of my career,” he said. “I get to come home, talk to the crowd and pay homage to our fallen warriors one last time before I hang up the uniform.”

He said Memorial Day is ultimately about ensuring the sacrifices of fallen service members are never forgotten.

“Their names deserve to be spoken,” Barwikowski said. “Their stories deserve to be remembered.”

The crowd responded with a standing ovation.

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