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By Laura Drinan
Hometown Weekly Reporter
While Memorial Day is frequently celebrated as the unofficial start of summer, it is critical to take some time out of the long weekend to remember and honor our nation’s veterans. On Memorial Day, a group of community members gathered on town common to pay their respects to the men and women who fought for country.
The ceremony began with an invocation from David Ferreira, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and member of the Walpole Veterans Committee. Walpole’s Boy Scouts led the community in the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a performance of the National Anthem by the Walpole High School Band.
Representative Shawn Dooley joined the ceremony to illustrate why Memorial Day should be observed and celebrated.
“It means so much that so many of you came out to celebrate,” he began, “to honor, to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice – the young men and women who knowingly volunteered for one reason, and for one reason only: to protect our way of life, to defend our nation, so we can all live in a land that is free – so our children can grow up and be whoever or whatever they want to be.”
“We owe them a huge debt – not just today, but every day,” Rep. Dooley continued. “They gave their lives so we can be free. They gave their lives so our nation could be this great. It is our responsibility to honor that, and to go forward and be the very best citizens that we could be.”
He, along with guest speaker Colonel John Power, a former U.S. Army Signal Corps Officer and Walpole resident, spoke about the significance of preserving the meaning of Memorial Day.
Col. Power asked for the veterans on town common to raise their hands and be recognized by the community. While he thanked the veterans in attendance for their service, he reminded the community to honor those who lost their lives while serving.
“A veteran, whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserved, is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to the United States of America for an amount up to and including his or her own life,” he said. “That’s why we’re here today: for those who had that check cashed.”
Before the Walpole High School band played a selection of patriotic songs and concluded the ceremony, Col. Power reminded the veterans at the ceremony to wear their ribbons or identifying apparel throughout the year with pride to remind others that veterans are everywhere and must be celebrated.
