Residents and visitors gathered in the Yates County communities of Dundee and Penn Yan on Monday to commemorate Memorial Day. Both villages hosted well-attended traditional parades and ceremonies.
In Penn Yan, this year’s parade grand marshal was retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Sheila K. Disbrow, a Penn Yan native and 1974 graduate of Penn Yan Academy. Disbrow began her Air Force career in 1978 after completing officer training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. During her military career, she served in command positions in Germany, Greece, Michigan, Utah, and Florida before retiring in 2001 from Tyndall Air Force Base. Her military honors include the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters.
Retired U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Corey M. Christman served as this year’s guest speaker, telling attendees there was “something right” about holding the ceremony in Penn Yan.
Christman, owner and winemaker of Bravery Wines in Dresden, said the village was built by generations who arrived “with nothing but grit, faith, and a willingness to work,” comparing that spirit to the commitment shown by local men and women who have served in the military throughout the nation’s history.
He reflected on the sacrifices made by service members from Yates County, from the Civil War and World War I to more recent conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
“Men and women from this county looked at their country and said, ‘I will go,’” Christman said. “They did not ask what it would cost them. They went.”
Christman spoke about the personal sacrifices tied to military service, including time away from family, missed milestones, and the uncertainty of deployment. He said veterans left behind the familiarity of home, including family traditions, life in the community, and the natural beauty of the Finger Lakes, in order to serve.
“They raised their right hand. They took an oath. And then the part we must never forget, they kept it,” Christman said. “Sometimes they came home to parades, sometimes to silence, sometimes changed in ways that no one around them could fully understand, but they kept their oath, every one of them.”
During his Air Force career, Christman received numerous military honors, including the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, and several campaign and service medals connected to operations in Southwest Asia and the Global War on Terrorism.
He encouraged those in attendance not only to remember the service members who died serving their country, but also to support veterans who are still living and may be struggling with the lasting effects of their service.
During his remarks, Christman urged the community not only to remember those killed in combat, but also to support veterans who continue to struggle after returning home from war.
Christman cited veteran suicide statistics, noting that an estimated 17 to 22 veterans die by suicide each day in the United States. He said many service members survive combat only to face invisible wounds after returning home, including post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries, and other lasting emotional and psychological impacts of war.
“They came home to the same lake, the same hills they dreamed about while they were away, but something had shifted,” Christman said. “The world looked the same, but they were not the same.”
He said those losses are deeply personal in smaller communities like Yates County, where veterans are friends, neighbors, and family members rather than anonymous statistics.
“Make no mistake, these are casualties of war,” Christman said. “They answered the call, and we must answer theirs.”
Christman encouraged veterans who may be struggling to seek help and reminded attendees that asking for support is not a sign of weakness.
“The bravest thing a warrior can sometimes do is say, ‘I need someone to stand with me,’” he said.
He also called on the community to ensure veterans have access to the care and services they need, while fostering an environment where military service and its lasting impacts are openly acknowledged and understood.
“We do not abandon our veterans when they come home,” Christman said. “We do not look away when they struggle.”
Christman closed by urging residents to continue honoring veterans through action and support, saying the community has a responsibility to care for those who served.
“We will not forget, we will not look away,” he said. “We will finish the work of caring for those who have cared for us.”
In Dundee, residents lined Water and Main streets for the annual Memorial Day parade before making their way to the Seneca Street park for the traditional Memorial Day ceremony that featured music by the DCS Band, Placing of the Wreath, a Moment of Silence, TAPS, Firing Detail, and The Benediction.
Photos from Monday’s events in Penn Yan and Dundee appear below:
