Planning for Veterans Day parade begins

Jan 19, 2020

A committee is being formed to organize the return of a Veterans Day parade and commemoration to Wareham after an absence of several years.

At a meeting of the Veterans Council held Friday at the Multi Service Center, council members voted William R. C. White as chairman of the new committee. White has been involved in previous parade organization.

Returning the parade to town represents “a means of rejuvenating and memorializing the significance of Veterans Day in the minds of local citizens, young and old, through a series of activities prior to and on Veterans Day 2020,’’ White wrote in a draft proposal of Veterans Day activities.

The parade planning would be a project of the Veterans Council. Updates would be regularly shared by the committee to the Veterans Council and the Board of Selectmen, council members said.

The parade could have two potential routes, White wrote in his proposal.

One route would start at the foot of Main Street, follow Route 6 to Viking Drive and around Town Hall to the parking lot between Town Hall and the Multi Service Center.

Another potential route would be in Onset, starting at Stone Bridge Bar and Grill and continuing along Onset Avenue to the VFW Post.

The parade would conclude with a ceremony and be followed by a luncheon hosted by the Veterans Council and provided free for veterans and their families. The ceremony and luncheon would be held rain or shine; only the parade would be weather-dependent, White said.

Committee members would be responsible for all aspects of the parade, including selecting a grand marshal, securing participants and publicizing the day’s activities, council members said.

The selection of grand marshal makes a significant impact. The veterans chosen for that honor is “the face of the parade,’’ Mr. White said. The grand marshal “leads the parade, helps promote the parade’’ and possibly makes the keynote speech, he said. “He is the man of the day,’’ he said.

After the parade and ceremonies, the public could be invited to view the vehicles in the parade up close, he said.

The parade would begin at 10 a.m. with the ceremony starting at 11 a.m. The time is significant because Veterans Day marks the end of major hostilities of World War I, which was observed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.

The luncheon would be held at noon.

Potential parade participants include individual veterans from Wareham and surrounding communities; Wareham Veterans Council; local militia; local police and fire departments; Elks Club members, Masons and Eagles; local American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars representatives; local school bands and service organizations; motorcycle organizations; elected officials; Scouting units; athletic teams and organizations; and federal and state organizations in the area.

Anyone interested in serving on the committee or otherwise participating in Veterans Day observances should contact White at wmrcwhite@gmail.com