Towns plan Memorial Day activities

Published: 05-24-2023 3:13 PM

Below are observances being held for Memorial Day, which is Monday, May 29.

ANTRIM

James A. Tuttle Library, 45 Main St., is hosting a Missing Man Table display Friday, May 26 and Saturday, May 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.

Each item on the Missing Man Table represents the emotions and feelings reserved for those who did not come home, and the ceremony symbolizes that they are here in spirit.

Antrim will not host a Memorial Day parade this year, as the ConVal School District bands cannot participate. Instead, the ceremony schedule for May 29 will be as follows: assemble at the American Legion hall at 8:45 a.m., North Branch Cemetery at 9 a.m., Maplewood Ceremony at 9:30 a.m., World War I Monument 9:50 a.m., Civil War Monument 10:05 a.m., Memorial Park 10:15 a.m.

BENNINGTON

Bennington will not host a Memorial Day parade due to lack of bands. Instead, the ceremony schedule on May 29 will be as follows: formation at Memorial Field at 10:45 a.m., cemeteries at 11 a.m., assemble at VFW Hall at 11:30 a.m., ceremony at bridge 11:35 a.m., ceremony at Civil Monument at 11:45 a.m. and ceremony at library at 11:50 a.m.

FRANCESTOWN

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Francestown holds an observance for the children of Francestown Elementary School. This year, the observance will be held on Thursday, May 25, at approximately 12:30 p.m. The ceremony will include a parade of students led by a color guard from the school to Cemetery No. 3, where a wreath will be laid along with a short ceremony. Refreshments will be served following the ceremony.

Francestown will not host a Memorial Day parade due to lack of bands. There will be ceremonies at the cemeteries starting at 1 p.m. May 26. Meet at the elementary school.

GREENFIELD

The Town of Greenfield and Greenfield Sportsman’s Club are sponsoring a Memorial Day remembrance Sunday, May 28, at noon at the Meetinghouse, library and Otter Lake memorials.

GREENVILLE

American Legion Post 13 will hold Memorial Day ceremonies May 29, starting at 10:30 a.m. at Pleasant Street Cemetery, followed at 10:45 a.m. at Sacred Heart Cemetery

At 11:30 a.m., there will be a memorial service at the Legion Field, and the Town of Greenville’s 150th Anniversary Committee will host a ceremony to fill a time capsule on the library lawn starting at 1 p.m.

From 2 to 3 p.m., a parade featuring the Keene Legion Band starts at the old depot on Dunster Avenue and continues to the bridge, then to the monuments. The band will play at the Legion Field after the parade.

HANCOCK

Hancock will honor deceased veterans May 29 at 2 p.m. on the Town Common.

“Although no bands were available for a parade, we have planned a full program of music, prayer, wreath-laying, ‘Taps’ and featured speakers, capped off by the national anthem and the raising of the flag,” stated Scott Manning of the Hancock Memorial Day Committee. “We hope to honor the true spirit of Memorial Day by coming together as a community to pay tribute to our veterans.”

The Rev. Beth Simmons of the First Congregational Church of Hancock will lead prayers. Local author Howard Mansfield will address “What’s Left Unsaid on Memorial Day.” Hancock Great Brook student Logan Montano will deliver his award-winning essay “Laying of the Wreath of the Unknown Soldier,” introduced by his social studies teacher, Ellen Kidd.

Scouts will lay wreaths at both of the town war memorial monuments. David Caputo and Clara Christensen will play “Taps,” and Hancock singer Rick Simpson will provide a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

In case of rain, the program will be held on the first floor of the Meeting House.

JAFFREY

The Town of Jaffrey, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 5613 and John Humiston American Legion Post No. 11 will hold the town’s annual Memorial Day observance May 29.

At 7:30 a.m., honor guards and troops from the local veterans organizations, the American Legion and VFW will visit cemeteries in town. The ceremony will include prayers, the playing of “Taps” and a salute in honor of departed veterans. Copies of the schedule of events are available at the town office building and library, as well as at stores in town.

The parade will form at the Blake Street parking lot – not the American Legion post – at 10:30 a.m. The main parade will step off at 10:45 and will proceed to the Civil War Memorial in front of the library, the Korean-Vietnam Memorial Park and conclude with ceremonies at the Buddy Monument on the common, where the flag will be raised at noon. The speaker is retired Coast Guard Senior Chief Petty Officer and Jaffrey Town Manager Jon Frederick.

All veterans are invited, with a special invitation to veterans who may have moved to the community recently or who have been in town and haven’t marched with us, as well as active-duty personnel home on leave. People who would prefer to ride should call Marc Tieger ahead of time at 603-532-8765.

LYNDEBOROUGH

The Lyndeborough Memorial Day Parade will be held on Sunday, May 28, with kickoff at 1 p.m. from the Lyndeborough Central School on Forest Street.

An observance will be held at Memorial Park in the village with the Lafayette Artillery Company firing their 1844 six-pound cannon at the conclusion of the observance.PETERBOROUGH

Peterborough Memorial Day events will be held Monday, May 29.

Veterans meet at 8:45 am at Veterans Way next to Bellows-Nichols. They will step off toward the library bridge and have the Sea Service ceremony with the United States Sea Cadets Monadnock Squadron assisting. Then the parade will march up to the Veterans’ Memorial Gates for the rest of the ceremony. The speaker will be John Franklin of Peterborough, with Mark Briggs of Peterborough singing the national anthem. The Frontier Girls will sing “God Bless America” and the Sixth New Hampshire will fire. Ed Lowy will play “Taps.” The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts will also be present. There will be no band.

The program will be held rain or shine, and if it rains it will be inside the Peterborough Town House at 9 a.m.

RINDGE

Rindge’s Memorial Day parade will form at 12:45 p.m. May 29 on Payson Hill, after a 12:30 salute to World War II veterans at Rindge Memorial School. The parade will march to Goddard Road Cemetery at 1 p.m. There will be a salute to Civil War veterans, and then the parade will march back to the common for more salutes and a brief ceremony before going to Veterans’ Memorial Park.

Retired Marine Col. Brian Palmer will be the speaker at the Cathedral of the Pines Memorial Day ceremony Tuesday, May 30, at 10 a.m.

“We were really lucky to get Colonel Palmer for this special service,” stated Don Upton, chair of the cathedral’s board of trustees. Brian has served our country for 30 years around the world. His father was a Cathedral Trustee.”

“I spent many years growing up in Jaffrey,” Palmer stated. “In all the places that I have lived, I have always considered Jaffrey my home base. I was introduced to the cathedral when I was 5 years old by my grandmother. My father, 89, lives in Jaffrey.”

Palmer received a BA degree in history from the State University of New York and ajuris doctorate from Western New England School of Law. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1987. 

TEMPLE

Temple’s Memorial Day festivities will be June 4.

WILTON

Wilton’s Memorial Day parade will start at 9 a.m. Monday, May 29, from the Bent Burke  VFW Post 10 on Maple Street.

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