by Rama K. Ramaswamy
A newspaper article detailing low turnout for 2013’s Veterans Day Ceremony inspired Girl Scout Johanna van der Wal to make it her mission to raise awareness for veterans and replace flags on Memorial Day. In the process, Johanna earned her Girl Scout Silver Award, but Johanna kept going with her mission, long after being recognized for her efforts. Over the weekend, the Veterans Day ceremony at Town Hall was not just “standing room only,” but attendees were spilling out, winding along the stairs on either end of the Great Hall. The Wellesley Police Department made a strong showing, including Chief Cunningham. State Representative Alice Peisch, 14th Norfolk District, was in attendance, as were the Wellesley Fire Department, the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and even several Brownie troops from local elementary schools.
Amy van der Wal, Johanna’s mother, said, “when we first arrived today, we spoke to Mr. Johnson, a Navy veteran who read ‘Who is a Veteran’ for the service. We told him we were hoping for a big Girl Scout turn-out. He had heard crowds for the ceremony used to be so large that they filled the upper loft. He said, ‘I wish I could see a picture of that and hopefully see it happen again one day.’ Today, the crowd spilled down the stairwell and probably could have filled the upstairs! I don’t think people sitting in front realized this. We have a foreign exchange student living with us this semester who came to the ceremony. She had never been to anything like this before and she was very impressed. She said it’s important to recognize what a veteran is and what they did for the country they served.” Amy’s father, Johanna’s grandfather, was a veteran.
The program began at 10:55 a.m. with a welcome from a Veteran’s Service Officer (Stanley Spear). Then came the posting of POW/MIA memorial flag, Veterans’ Council Honor Guard, and the tolling of the memorial bell in remembrance of Great War armistice. The Invocation was ready by the Veterans’ Council Chaplain and next came the salute to the flag and Pledge of Allegiance lead by W.V.C. Sergeant at Arms. Mr. Johnson eloquently let attendees in on “Who is a Veteran,” and after, the Veteran’s Council Rifleman fired off the “Salute to the Dead.” Johanna van der Wal played “Taps.” John Sullivan, a WWII veteran, was also in attendance, along with Stanley W. Spear Jr., Deputy Director, West Suburban Veterans` Services District, Veterans` Services District.
