Turley Publications staff photo by Tim Kane

Brookfield’s Wild Green T-Ball Team marches in the parade.

Brookfield remembers sacrifices paid

By Tim Kane

Staff Writer

BROOKFIELD – While there appeared to be more marchers than onlookers at the Brookfield Memorial Day Parade Monday morning, it did not erase the tears, memories, and stories conveyed by local veterans, town officials, and parade-goers.

A long parade stepped off from Brookfield Elementary School promptly at 10 a.m. with military color guard leading the pack followed by selectmen dressed in their Sunday best, local firefighters and police honor guard, Parade Grand Marshal and noted town historian Bob Wilder transported in a jeep driven by Chris Cipro and his family, as well local t-ball league players and a few classic cars.

Jan’s Marching Band played an array of patriotic songs on the parade route past town hall and down Route 9, ending with America the Beautiful at Brookfield Cemetery. That’s where two of the town’s teens spoke in front of a large crowd gathered there to share their feelings about local veterans after police fired muskets in honor of veterans and two solo buglers played TAPS. State officials did not attend this ceremony, though all three Brookfield Selectmen, Rudy Heller, Peter O’Connell and James Allen, marched and spoke at the ceremonies.

Jacob Sterndale of Brookfield read the poem “Flanders Fields” during the cemetery ceremony. The poem is one of the most notable poems written during World War I , created in the form of a French Rondeau. She was followed by Laura Seery who read the Gettysburg Address. The traditional raising of the flag ended the ceremony, a ceremony which was then repeated in full at the town’s other memorial marker on town common.