Students plant flags, honor the dead for Memorial Day
It's a day for remembering those who died while serving their country. Students from Wareham Middle School gained firsthand experience Friday on the importance and weight of that sacrifice.
One hundred seventh-graders from Wareham Middle School planted flags at St. Patrick's, Centre and Agawam Cemeteries Friday morning in advance of Memorial Day.
Wareham Middle School teacher Jessica Andrews said she has been planting flags at the Agawam Cemetery for more than a decade, but was last year made aware that elderly residents were planting the flags in the other cemeteries.
"I said, 'I have a school full of kids who want to help,'" Andrews said.
She said the kids felt a sense of responsibility and honor by planting the flags.
On Memorial Day, May 25, the town Veterans Council plans to hold ceremonies at cemeteries and memorials throughout the town.
The public is invited to honor the dead alongside the Council throughout the day, which begins at 8:30 a.m. on the Town Green on Main Street.
From there, the group plans to move to St. Patrick’s and Centre Cemeteries. After that, the group will travel to Besse Park, Agawam Cemetery, Dudley Brown Square in Onset, the Onset bluffs war memorial, Stone Bridge and, finally, Town Hall.
Each ceremony will include brief remarks from a chaplain, a rifle salute from two members of the VFW Post and two members of the American Legion Post, a presentation of a wreath, and “Taps” played by bugler Allyson Giannelli. Veterans Council Chairman Bob White said each ceremony is estimated to last 30 minutes.