Published May 14, 2020
By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — While the town’s traditional Memorial Day observances and parade cannot be held this year, there will be an opportunity for the public to honor those who sacrificed their lives in wartime over the centuries for the freedoms we enjoy today.
Town officials, including the Veterans’ Services Department, along with representatives of the North Reading Minit and Militia, which organizes the parade and cemetery assemblies each year, have teamed up with NORCAM and the Transcript to provide a virtual Memorial Day experience to be broadcast to the community.
Although no public assemblies will be held, town buildings and the graves of veterans will still be decorated with American flags by the DPW, and the Minit and Militia will perform its traditional ceremonies at the town’s cemeteries privately (to conform to social distancing requirements) in advance of Memorial Day. These ceremonies will include the musket volley and roll call. Performing the ceremonies in advance will enable them to be recorded, both with video and still photography, and then incorporated into a show to be broadcast for the public on Memorial Day, along with photographs of the ceremonies published in the Transcript.
Additionally, NORCAM is currently conducting virtual interviews with multiple guests speakers, including many local veterans of the Korean and Vietnam Wars, active military personnel, and Gold Star families plus local politicians, town officials and clergy to incorporate into the video, capped off with appropriate patriotic music.
Community involvement
So where does the community involvement fall into this picture? That’s easy. All residents are encouraged to recognize Memorial Day by decorating their homes in red, white and blue. Think of how successful the Stuffed Animal Safari and the Easter Egg Hunt were during this pandemic last month, and repeat the effort, but in a patriotic way. Fly the American flag. Decorate your bicycles for the fun of it. Wear a costume to honor a wartime or patriotic hero. Just be creative!
Those who are able to decorate their homes early are asked to consider submitting photographs of their decorations to: nrvets@northreadingma.gov on or before Monday, May 18 for potential inclusion in the Memorial Day ceremony video. (Production time necessitates the early deadline for photos.)
Lastly, residents are asked to consider placing a light in their windows from Sunday, May 24 through Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day) in remembrance of all those who were lost to war.
Refer any questions about the Memorial Day observance to Veterans’ Services Director Sue Magner at nrvets@northreadingma.gov.