The Palmerton United Veterans Organization Memorial Day activities will get underway with a parade at 10 a.m. Monday.

Annora Pacheaco, 8, of Palmerton Daisy Troop 3112, has been named Miss Poppy 2024, and Carter Lesher, 8, of Cub Scout Pack 209, has been named Palmerton American Legion Mascot.

Annora, the daughter of Anthony and Amanda Pacheaco of Palmerton, and a second-grade student at S.S. Palmer Elementary, said she is “very happy” to be Miss Poppy.

Carter, a second-grade student at S.S. Palmer Elementary, is the son of Corine Lesher of Palmerton.

The children will both carry a wreath during the parade. One wreath will be placed at the memorial in the borough park, and the other at the memorial near the borough hall on Delaware Avenue.

Annora and Carter, along with other Scouts, will be selling poppies after the parade and during the ceremonies following.

Money from the proceeds of the sale will go to the Palmerton American Legion and the Palmerton Veterans of Foreign Wars to be used for scholarships and the upkeep of the Veterans Memorial.

The parade will start at 10 a.m. and form in front of the area of Spillane’s Fit, where it will march down Delaware Avenue. There will be stops along the route to place a wreath at the Veterans Memorial, the Revolutionary Soldier at the police station, and at the monument at borough hall.

The parade will proceed to Fifth Street, to Franklin Avenue to Palmerton Borough Park, where services are held at 11 a.m. In case of rain, services will be held in the St. John Neumann Regional School gym.

Carbon County District Attorney Michael S. Greek will be the featured speaker.

Born and raised in Nesquehoning, Greek graduated from Panther Valley High School and King’s College.

After college graduation, he enlisted in the United States Army and attended basic training at Fort Dix in New Jersey, Officer Candidate School in Fort Benning, Georgia, and the Armor Office Basic Course at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He served as an M1 tank platoon leader and tank company executive officer attached to Task Force 1/32 Armor, 1st Cavalry Division Fort Hood, Texas. He participated in a return of forces in Germany (REFORGER) and the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California.

Greek left the service in 1989 after achieving the rank of Captain. He obtained a Juris Doctorate Degree from Widener University School of Law in Harrisburg, and opened his own law office in Lansford.

He joined the District Attorney’s Office in 1998.

Greek is committed to public safety, active in community outreach programs, and dedicated to fighting drugs through early intervention and the proper use of specialty courts and treatment programs. He was recently elected as an unopposed candidate for a second term as the District Attorney for Carbon County.

Bruce Frisch, a member of the Palmerton United Veterans Organization, said the parade and services showcase the military service.

“This town and county is very thankful for all our veterans,” Frisch said. “I think it’s great that we do something like this for the community, parents, children, fallen men and women.”

Frisch said the group, comprised of American Legion Post 269 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7134, is seeking new members.