Area towns announce Memorial Day programs

New Braintree

Memorial Day observances in area towns will begin with New Braintree at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 28, at the elementary school. The students will participate in exercises in which each class performs a tribute to the town’s heroes from all wars. The school orchestra will perform. The New Braintree Police Department will participate as well.

Warren and West Warren

Warren and West Warren programs will be held on Sunday, May 30, commencing at 1 p.m. The observance will begin with a ceremony at St.Paul’s Cemetery; the parade will proceed to Pine Grove Cemetery, then to the center of town for a ceremony at the common.

After disbanding at Warren center, participants will travel by bus to West Warren for a ceremony on Main St., ending at Veterans’ Park.

The Quaboag Regional High School Band will participate in both towns.

West Brookfield

West Brookfield parade units will form at 8:30 a.m. at the Congregational Church. The parade will commence at 9 a.m., proceeding to Pine Grove Cemetery, the common, the catholic cemeteries, and ending at the American Legion Hall, Ware St. Military Ceremonies and salutes will be presented at each stop. The parade including veterans, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the Fire Department and other groups will participate, accompanied by the Quaboag Regional High School Band. Light refreshments for participants will be provided at the Legion Hall at the end of the parade.

East Brookfield

East Brookfield observances will be held on Monday, May 31, with a service at Podunk Cemetery, Podunk Road, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

The annual parade will start at 11 a.m. from the Memorial Town Complex and proceed east on Main St. to Evergreen Cemetery, where a service will be held. The parade will regroup and follow Main St. to Pleasant St., where closing ceremonies will be held at the Veteran’s Memorial, Depot Square.

Massachusetts Representative Geraldo Alicea will speak. Elementary school students Jordan Gablaski and Mia Golden will recite the Gettysburg Address; Arianna Spencer and Madison Hatt will recite In Flander’s Field. Local clergy participants are the Reverend Dr. Kevin P. Cross of the East Brookfield Baptist Church, and Father George Charland of St. John the Baptist Church. Grand Marshall for the parade will be former U.S. Marine Corps Gysgt John E. Rotchford.

The East Brookfield Memorial Day committee invites all veterans, National Guard and community organizations to participate in the observances. Uniforms are not required, and vehicles will be provided for any veteran wishing to participate but unable to march in the parade.

North Brookfield

North Brookfield observances will begin at 8 a.m. with color and honor guard ceremonies followed by TAPS at Walnut St. and St. Joseph’s Cemeteries. The parade will form at the fire station at 8:45 a.m. to begin at 9:15, proceeding from Grove, then North Main Sts., to the Civil War Memorial, where ceremonies will be held. The Reverend Mary Vidmar of Christ Memorial Church will deliver the prayer; Hannah Forgit will recite the Gettysburg Address, followed by a salute to veterans, and TAPS.

Final ceremonies will be conducted on Main St. at the Haston Library, where Selectman Mary Walter will speak. The poppy girls will place poppies in the wreaths at the war memorials, as the names of the deceased are read. There will be a flag ceremony, and musical selections by the North Brookfield High School Band.

Brookfield

Brookfield’s observances will begin with a parade, which will leave Legion Square at Brookfield Elementary School at 10 a.m. Led by Parade Marshal Robert Wilder and accompanied by Jan’s Marching Band, marchers will proceed to the Brookfield cemetery. A ceremony at the Soldier’s Monument at the cemetery will include the pledge of allegiance, led by the selectmen, a prayer, delivered by Pastor Dean McIsaac will follow. Recitations of the Gettysburg Address and In Flanders Field will be delivered by Laurel Seery and Jacob Sterndale.

The parade will re-form, proceeding to the soldiers’ monument on the town common, where the pledge of allegiance will be lead by the selectmen, followed by a prayer delivered by Pastor Eleanor Kraner. The Gettysburg Address will be recited by Nicholas Lescord; In Flanders Field will be recited by Jessica Booth. Firing details will be led by Brookfield Police.

The parade will disband at the Brookfield Town Hall. There will be refreshments on the Brookfield common.

In the event of rain, services will be held at Brookfield Elementary School.