Area Memorial Day observances planned

Area veteran organizations will host annual Memorial Day ceremonies on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, in both Milton and Lebanon, and all members of the armed forces and veterans are invited to join in.

In Milton, participants and spectators will meet at the library in Milton Mills at 10 a.m.

 Milton’s American Legion Post 61 Commander Lester McCall will serve as President of the Day and will offer introductory greetings and introduce the Parade Marshalls and guests. Marshalls of the Day will be Commander McCall, Milton/Farmington VFW Post 8393 Commander Pete Hayward, and Union/Sanbornville VFW Post 7663 Commander Fred Gulbrandsen.

The Rev. Betsy Webber will offer the Invocation. Lt. Col. Joe Kenney, U.S. Marine Reserve and former State Senator, will lead the Pledge of Allegiance. The Nute High School Band, directed by Krin Monterose, will then perform the National Anthem.
Following the anthem, Nute eighth-grader Adam Taatjes will recite the Gettysburg Address. Chief Master Sergeant Brian (Scott) Taatjes will then address the crowd.
The Rev. John Kane will offer the Benediction before the annual Memorial Day Parade gets under way.

Drummer Stanley Banks will mark the pace of the parade, which will begin at the library on Main Street then proceed down Main Street past Ira Miller’s store and the Post Office where it will pause at the Salmon Falls River bridge to honor Navy Veterans and those lost at sea.

The Rev. John Kane will offer a memorial for departed sailors. It will then proceed to the Milton Mills Cemetery to pause at a Veterans Monument, where the Rev. Betsy Webber will offer a memorial. The parade then will return to the library assembly point where it will disband.
Refreshments will be served to children after the parade.

Participants expected for the Memorial Day ceremony and parade include members of the American Legion and VFW posts and Auxiliaries Gold Star Mothers, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Milton Unicycles, Mary Torr Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution and the Milton Fire Department.

Meanwhile, in Lebanon, a parade will form at the Hanson School at 2 p.m. and proceed to Town Offices for the official ceremony. Members of all four branches of the military are expected to participate as are Lebanon Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

Lebanon American Legion Commander Don Lovely said on Friday that there will be a guest speaker as well as a rendition of Taps and a cannon salute.