It was a small, but dedicated group who honored Wareham’s dead veterans Monday morning.

A group of eight members of the Veterans Council, led by council clerk James Bruce, held a small ceremony for fallen veterans at nine places around Wareham and Onset. At each site, Selectman Alan Slavin and Steve Baptiste laid a wreath, or tossed one into the water, before Pastor Colon Wright gave a small prayer. The ceremonies were accompanied by the JROTC color guard, three members of the veterans council, who fired three salutes at each site, and trumpeter Allyson Giannelli, who played “Taps,” to close each five-minute ceremony.

Though the 25-year-old is not in the service herself, Giannelli said honoring deceased veterans is important to her, because of her family’s military background. Her grandfather, the late Charles Vanderstaay, was a Air Force veteran, and had headed the Memorial Day ceremonies for several years, until his death in 2014.

“When I showed up last year, I showed up and I walked over to [the veterans], and they go, ‘We didn’t think you would come, because of your grandfather,’” Gianelli said. “I said, ‘Of course I would come. This is what I do for you guys.’ This is the best way I can think to honor the veterans.”

But it was a small crowd that came out to observe the ceremonies around Wareham. Selectman Slavin, also not a veteran, said he was disappointed about the turnout.

“This is terrible,” Slavin said. “This is an important day. You get all these people who make sacrifices, and everything. It’s a lack of respect.”

Wareham Minute and Militia members Malcolm Phinney and Cathy Phinney echoed Slavin’s sentiments. Both of their fathers were veterans.

“Memorial Day everybody just treats as a day to party,” Malcolm Phinney said. “Why can’t you just spend a few hours doing what Memorial Day is all about?”

Cathy Phinney said she has also always been very patriotic.

“When Allyson plays ‘Taps,’ it just brings tears to my eyes,” Phinney said.

“I just feel that veterans give so much,” Phinney continued. “It’s the least we can do to come out and honor them. … It’s not right that that sacrifice shouldn’t be remembered.”

The Phinneys also mourned the loss of Ted du Moulin, Charles VanderStaay, and James Newman.

“They were the mainstays of this for so many years, and it’s just sad that they are not here,” Cathy Phinney said.

Bruce gave a small speech outside Town Hall, the procession’s last stop, in remembrance of the three men.

“I would like to say God bless them,” Bruce said. “They were wonderful people.”

Bruce said he considered the day a success.

“I’m proud of what we did today,” Bruce said. “It wasn’t sexy or lengthy, but, by George, we did it.”