Kean Wong:
Memorial Day across the United States host parades and ceremonies to honor the men and women who have fallen in the wars of history. But there is something different about New York's ceremony. Kaman Pun has the story.

This is no ordinary ceremony, because a 100-foot marble and granite monument has been restored.

Built in 1902 this Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument has been revived from years of graffiti and vandalism.

Michael Lavine lives in the area and has been part of the restoration team.

[Michael Lavine, President of 89th Street Block Assoc]: "This plaza, if you were here a year ago, looked like a parking lot."

"For many years you would only have 50 people that would show up and they would lay a wreath and that was it."

Council Member Gale A. Brewer has helped secure funding and even the New York Mayor helped allocate $378,000 to restore the park.

[Leon E. Jones, Retired Master Sergeant]: "Basically we are trying to recapture all evidence of veterans past, present and future. We try to maintain all legacies possible. And it's really important that we pay homage to this legacy, to this monument, on the day given which is Memorial Day."

The restoration also brought back some fond memories.

[Elanor Friedman, 82-year-old, local]: "Beautiful, just beautiful. As I said, I used to come here when I was dating my husband. We used to sit here, at this spot right up here, overlooking the Hudson River, it was just beautiful."

The Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Association hope to finish this project by 2012 this is Kaman Pun, NTD, New York.