| Sarah Heinonen
sheinonen@thereminder.com
Category:
EAST LONGMEADOW – The veterans of the East Longmeadow American Legion Post 293 joined with members of the town’s leadership and state Rep. Brian Ashe at East Longmeadow High School to remember fallen members of the military on May 30, Memorial Day 2022.
More than two dozen veterans marched in the ceremony, which was led by Post Commander Brian Tidlund. The veterans were joined in the march by members of the East Longmeadow Police Department, East Longmeadow Fire Department, Town Manager Mary McNally, Eastern Hampden County District Veterans Service Officer Michelle Barrett, Town Council Vice President Ralph Page and Town Councilors Marilyn Richards and Sidney Starks. During the commemoration, a flag was retired and a new one raised, wreaths were placed and people spoke about the meaning of military service.
Ashe told an anecdote about spilling his coffee that morning and becoming irritated, only to realize how trivial such things are in the shadow of people dying in military service. Barrett reminded those gathered that Memorial Day “was a day of mourning.” She thanked the friends and families of those who have died.
Rev. Mia Kano of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church read an invocation and McNally read a proclamation from Gov. Charlie Baker declaring May 30 to be Memorial Day in Massachusetts.
Taps was played by Aaron Hamilton and The Star-Spangled Banner was sung by Brynn Erickson, both East Longmeadow High School students.
Starks read the names of the 23 members of various branches of the military from East Longmeadow who died while in the service, from World War I to the War on Terror. For each person whose name was read, a child or teenager from town placed a rose in a basket.