Overview:
The Athol Veterans Council has been granted a permit to hold a Memorial Day parade on May 25, which will follow a new route this year, starting at Athol High School and ending at Highland Cemetery, where the greatest number of Athol's Civil War veterans are buried. The event will include services at several local veterans' organizations and a ceremony at Highland Cemetery, with the grand marshal being U.S. Navy and Korean War veteran David Bramhall.
ATHOL – For this year’s Memorial Day parade, a new route is being planned to mark a milestone in the nation’s history.
At its meeting on Tuesday, May 19, the Selectboard unanimously approved a one-day event permit for the Athol Veterans Council to celebrate Memorial Day on Monday, May 25. Council President Scott Hume said that this year’s parade will break with tradition by following a different route than in years past.
“We’re doing things a little different this year,” said Hume. “Usually, we’ve started the parade from Silver Lake Cemetery and followed kind of a winding route to the Veterans Park downtown. This year, we’re going to gather at Athol High School at 9:45 a.m. and start marching around 10. This being the country’s 250th anniversary, we’ll march to Highland Cemetery. That’s where the greatest number of Athol’s Civil War veterans are buried. Then we’ll gather around the Civil War statue at the cemetery.”
“That’s also where Elmer Snow is buried,” said Selectboard Chair Bill Chiasson.
Snow, a bugler, rode with Capt. Anson Mills of the Third Cavalry on June 17, 1876 – just eight days before Gen. George Armstrong Custer and the 7th Cavalry were wiped out in the infamous Battle of the Little Big Horn.
The Athol resident, who was wounded in both arms, was cited for “bravery in action” and received the Medal of Honor from President Ulysses S. Grant on Oct. 16, 1877.
Before the parade, members of several local veterans’ organizations will gather at 8:30 a.m. at American Legion E H Phillips Post 102. A wreath will be thrown into the Millers River during an honor guard service at the Exchange Street Bridge.
From there, services will be held at Veterans Park in downtown Athol at 9 a.m., VFW Park near the YMCA at 9:15 a.m., Phillips Park at the Uptown Common at 9:30 a.m., and Vietnam Veterans of America Park on Starrett Avenue at 9:45 a.m.
The Memorial Day ceremony at Highland Cemetery will begin at 11 a.m., with Hume as master of ceremonies. The grand marshal for the event will be U.S. Navy and Korean War veteran David Bramhall, who will be introduced by Army General (Ret.) William Meehan III.
Army veteran Lisa O’Sullivan, the newly-hired Veterans Agent for the Northeast Quabbin District, will also be introduced. Patriotic songs will be sung by Elizabeth Hume.
The National Anthem will be played by the Athol High School/Middle School band during the flag raising, which will include representatives from participating veterans’ organizations. The Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Paul Dubey, DAV Past Department Commander of Massachusetts. A member of Boys/Girls State will read General Logan’s Memorial Day Order.
Organizations taking part in Memorial Day activities include American Legion Post 102, which will also provide the honor guard, Pequoig Detachment 1168 Marine Corps League, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 340, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 46 and AMVETS Post 793.
Hume said that, in addition to attending ceremonies at Highland Cemetery, local residents are welcome to join the parade, and American flags will be distributed to those who participate.
Anyone with questions can call (978) 790-3765.
Petersham Memorial Day ceremonies
Petersham’s Memorial Day celebration begins at 9:30 a.m. Participants will form a line at the flag pole on West Street. While at the flag pole, prayer will be offered by Rev. Geoffrey Smith, followed by the reading of the Fire and Police Department honor rolls by Fire Chief Robert Legare and Police Chief Peter Buck, respectively.
The parade will then march to Village Cemetery. Rev. John Pastor will offer a prayer. The Revolutionary War honor roll will be read by Janice Olson, followed by James Berry reading the honor roll of the Civil War. An honor guard will fire a salute and taps will be played.
The line will then reform and proceed to the Memorial Trees on The Common. The World War I honor roll will be read by Robert Pasic, after which Montessori School students will offer a musical selection and Diona Laford will read Flanders Field. The Gettysburg Address will be recited by JROTC Cadet William Hammond.
The World War II honor roll will be read by Charles Tower; Robert Perkins will read the Korean War honor roll; Ronald DeJackome will read the Vietnam War honor roll; and the honor roll for Grenada, Panama, Iraq and Afghanistan will be read by Robert Laford. A memorial wreath will be placed by Richard Cooley and Robert Pasic.
A Memorial Day proclamation will be read by Danny Stair, and commander’s remarks will be offered by Alfred Berry. Rev. Cynthia Crosson-Harrington will offer the benediction prior to the playing of taps.
The Memorial Day celebration is organized by Petersham Post 415 of the American Legion, with assistance from “veterans of all wars, matrons and daughters, clergy, and school children and citizens,” according to a flier publicizing the event. Music will be provided at each location by the Petersham Brass Band.
An interfaith service will be held on Sunday, May 24, at 10:30 a.m. at the Orthodox Congregational Church.
Royalston Memorial Day ceremonies
In Royalston, Memorial Day activities will get underway at 2 p.m. in the South Village. Master of Ceremonies John Divoll will offer welcoming remarks, and Selectboard Chair Bill Chapman will read the Memorial Day proclamation. Tom Oja, pastor the First and Second Congregational Church, will offer the invocation. Marine Corps Veteran and Royalston Police Officer Nathan Kay will lead the Pledge of Allegiance, after which Jessie James will sing the National Anthem.
The featured speaker is U.S. Army Colonel (Ret.) Steven Egan, who is also newly elected to the Selectboard. Bobbi Newman of the Women’s Auxiliary will explain the meaning of the 13 folds of Old Glory, after which Royalston Community School students Carmen Cara, Ben Wolski and Colton Melanson will fold Old Glory. Jessie James will then sing “God Bless America.” Peter Newman, former post commander of American Legion Post 102, Athol, will provide the honor guard. Oja will then give the benediction, and the flag will be raised to full staff by Royalston EMS. Eighth grader Bayard Hard of the Farm School will then play taps.
The honor guard from American Legion Post 102 will fire a salute at the South Village Cemetery, and Hard will again play taps.
Those being thanked for their assistance are Brenda Putney, who placed flags on veteran grave sites; the Ladies Benevolent Society, which provided a potluck luncheon for participants; Legion Riders from American Legion Post 102 of Athol; audio/equipment technician Skip Comeau; ARRSD School Committee member Bobbi Newman; Royalston Police Chief Curtis Deveneau; and Royalston Fire Chief Eric Jack.