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WATERLOO – The village will come alive on May 21 as Waterloo celebrates the 150th anniversary of Memorial Day.
Waterloo Rotary will host its 35th annual plant sale at Cottrell’s Market on Route 96, just west of the village. Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the plant sale gives people an opportunity to beautify their property and support the good works of Rotary.
Six greenhouses at Cottrell’s Market on Route 96 just west of the village will be bursting with colorful flowers, hearty vegetables and at least nine different kinds of herbs. Now celebrating its 41st anniversary, Cottrell’s has hosted the Rotary plant sale for more than 10 years. Proceeds from the annual plant sale support Rotary community projects.
At 1 p.m. the Waterloo Library and Historical Society will present the play, “Bullis Bulletin,” in Fatzinger Hall. Admission is $3. Co sponsored by the 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse Museum, the play was written by Randy Darrow and directed by Jeffrey Cook.
It tells the story of John Lapham Bullis, a Quaker from Macedon, NY who fought in three wars – the Civil War, Indian Wars in Texas, and the Spanish American War. Bullis commanded the US Colored Troops in the Civil War, the Buffalo Soldiers and later Seminole Negro Indian Scouts in Texas. Three of his Black-Seminole Scouts received the Medal of Honor for saving his life. He is honored at Amistad National Recreation Area of the National Park Service on the Texas-Mexico border.
In an era when many men would have, and did, shun appointments with “colored” soldiers for more “prestigious” positions, Bullis had a history of serving with African-American military units. Besides the 24th he had been commissioned in the 118th Infantry as a Captain and served with them during the final years of the Civil War.
The years that Bullis spent as commander of the Seminole Scouts were to be landmark years in their history. During that period his men would fight in twenty-six battles, be awarded three Congressional Medals of Honor and, almost impossibly, not a single man would be killed or seriously injured.
Bullis was made a General by Teddy Roosevelt. Everyone who knew him gave him high praise as honest, hardy, loyal, courageous, and reliable. Even his enemies spoke of him with respect. Come to Fatzinger Hall to learn more about this remarkable man.
To end the evening on a high note, 198th US Army Band will take the stage at Waterloo High School auditorium from 6-8 p.m. The band is being hosted by the American Legion Family. Admission is free.
The 198th US Army Reserves Band of Rochester, formerly the 98th Division United States Army Reserve Band was originally activated in 1949 as the musical support unit for the 311th Division. In 1957, the unit was officially reassigned to the 98th Division (Institutional Training) Headquarters located at the James W. Wadsworth United States Army Reserve Center in Rochester, NY. Currently, the Band has transitioned to the 99th RRC, becoming the 198th Army Band.
The 98th Division Band has performed for three presidents (Nixon, Eisenhower and Johnson), many governors and foreign dignitaries. The band played at the New York World’s Fair in 1964.
The band consists of members with a wide variety of civilian occupations including music teachers, computer professionals, county employees, and college students.
The 98th Division Band, also known as “Rappl’s Own”, provides musical support for military functions, as well as civilian concerts and parades in Rochester and the surrounding area from Western New York through New England. Often the band invites school musicians and members of the audience to bring their instruments and join the band on stage.
Celebrate Commemorate events will be May 27-29. The 150th observance of Memorial Day will be on May 30. To learn more about Celebrate Commemorate and Waterloo’s 150th observance of Memorial Day, go to http://waterloony.com/memorial-day/celebrate-commemorate/