[VIDEO] Take Time Out During Holidays To Remember Those Who Served

As shoppers were starting to arrive for the kick off another busy holiday shopping day at Palisades Center mall in West Nyack Saturday morning, a small group of Rocklanders gathered in the shadow of the mall to remember the sacrifices made by generations of American soldiers.

Members of the Hudson Valley Chapter of the Nam Knights Motorcycle Club, along with members of the Buffalo Soldiers of Rockland County, visited tiny Mount Moor Cemetery to lay holiday wreaths on the graves of veterans buried at the historic cemetery. The brief service at the cemetery was part of an annual pilgrimage by Nam Knights members, who say they are committed to keeping alive the spirit of the veterans buried at Mount Moor — some dating back to the Civil War.

The service somes around the same time every year as wreaths are placed on the graves of soldiers are Arlington National Cemetery, according the Charlie Maushardt, president of the Nam Knights chapter.

Before the construction of Palisades Center, Mount Moor Cemetery was an isolated spot hidden by tall swamp grasses and junk yards. Nam Knights members in the 1980s helped clean up the area to help families with loved ones buried at Mount Moor.

With the constructoin of the mall, the cemetery underwent a revival. Today, there is a small memorial park at the entrance to the cemetery and a marker erected in 2003 cites the cemetery as a historic location. The cemetery is located on the south side of Palisades Center, along a service road just off the Route 59 entrance/exit at the mall.

Participans in the service urged Rocklanders to take time out during the holidays to remember the sacrifices of all those who have served — and died — in the U.S. armed forces as well as the sacrifices made by local veterans.

Members of the Nam Knights include retired police officers and retired members of the military. The group conduct a variety of fundraising events to help veterans and local non-profit groups serving the community, such as Nanuet-based People To People, Rockland's largest food pantry program.