At both ceremonies, attendees said Memorial Day is a way to remember veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice.
In advance of the barbecues and relaxation of the long Memorial Day weekend, Springfield and Palmer conducted ceremonies Friday to remember those veterans who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Nearly 75 people gathered for a Memorial Day ceremony at Court Square in Springfield that included the laying of the wreaths at war monuments, color guards from local high schools, and patriotic speeches and music. Some had signs in support of veterans.
Jerry Dolloff, of Springfield, a U.S. Army veteran whose service included two tours in Vietnam, said he feels “a sense of renewed pride in the country.”
“I am here to remember the brothers I left behind and to recognize the sacrifices of all veterans,” Dolloff said.
James F. O’Connell, of Indian Orchard, who served 35 years in the military, said he is concerned that too many people consider Memorial Day just a day off from work.
“I think we should think of the troops that we’ve lost, and the disabled ones still out here,” O’Connell said.
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, in his remarks, said he wished the crowd was larger, and believes that some people take the sacrifices of veterans for granted.
While the weekend includes “picnics and retail sales,” people should be thankful every day for the service and sacrifice of veterans, Sarno said.
Jose H. Irizarry, a school principal and 26-year veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve, another keynote speaker, praised the bravery of men and women who have given their lives including in the latest wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In Palmer, Converse Middle School, seventh-grader Angelina Roulston said that the holiday is more than just a day off from school, and thanked the soldiers for fighting for what they believed in – to preserve the country’s freedoms.
“The sacrifices these soldiers have made, make our country stronger. They risk their lives for us and that’s not something many people will do,” she said.
“Memorial Day is important to me and I take it seriously because my grandfather was a World War II veteran. He once risked his life for us, too .¤.¤. I look up to him as a hero and one of my country’s heroes,” Roulston said.
The guest speaker was 1st Michael Domnarski, an Iraq war veteran and state police lieutenant. Domnarski is the father of fifth-grader Mitchell Domnarski.
Domnarski served in Iraq for a year with the 747th military police, and told the students that freedom is not free, and that they can hate the war, but should respect the soldiers.
The ceremony also featured performances by the band and chorus. Reading specialist Ivy Peritz-Smith said the annual ceremony is a tradition at the middle school.
“It’s part of the middle school experience, and important to show respect to those who served and gave,” Peritz-Smith said.
Staff writer Lori Stabile contributed to this report