The Memorial Day Parade is Back!

There WILL be a Memorial Day parade this year, on Monday, May 30.

The long-standing Memorial Day tradition of a parade and military salutes at local monuments and cemeteries was unceremoniously terminated by Covid in 2020 and 2021. Then, Matt Kelly, who had handled the details and brought it all together every Memorial Day for several years not only resigned from the Town Council but also indicated that he wouldn’t be able to carry on the parade tradition any longer.

So, this year the American Legion “Eddie Grant” Post 75 and the VFW 3402 are going to pick up the baton. Chair will be Legionnaire Dick Hynes and Vice Chair will be Ernest Carruthers from VFW.

In a Thursday evening meeting, the ad hoc group of veterans and Veterans Services Officer Shannon Nisbett were joined by Franklin Police Lieutenant Eric J. Zimmerman, who provided a briefing on the parade route used in 2018. By general assent, that route was agreed to be retained.

The staging area will be at Depot Street and the MBTA lot. The parade will proceed up Main to hold an observance and the memorial on the Dean campus. The parade will then turn down School Street and cross Union stopping at 140 while the Honor Guard proceeds to the Union Cemetery. All will then proceed down 140 and up Beaver to the St. Mary’s cemetery for another observance. The parade will then continue to the Common for further ceremonial activity.

Then there were details to discuss. Zimmerman informed the group that “worst case” detail costs for the police might be as much as $2,000 and a funding source is uncertain. Nisbett agreed to see whether any existing funds could be used and to look into holding a fund-raising event.

Legion Commander John Milot is going to take care of securing town permits, Legionnaire Frank Coughlin is reaching out to the Charter School and Nisbett will be connecting with the Franklin Public Schools.

Legion Chaplain Bob Markunis is planning to see if other posts in the area want to join in.

With many more issues to attend to make the parade a reality, the ad hoc group agreed to meet again on March 31.