UXBRIDGE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — On Sunday morning, a group of local volunteers got together in Uxbridge to clean up their town's War Memorial ahead of Memorial Day.
According to Uxbridge Town Selectman Stephen Mandile, several selectmen and local residents volunteered to help spray down and scrub the memorial area on the town common. They also staked some new American flags to honor the fallen.
"I'm proud of the dedication our town has to honoring the services and sacrifices of local and national service members, and their Gold Star Families, on #MemorialDay and every day," said Mandile.
Despite the state's continued stay-at-home orders, several other Massachusetts towns are still planning socially-distant ways of honoring the U.S. service members who have lost their lives fighting for their country.
In Danvers, residents are planning to hold a small Memorial Day parade along the route the town's annual parade would usually take - from Town Hall, down Sylvan Street, through downtown and back to Town Hall. Organizers say there are "plenty of places" for locals to watch from parked cars and remain at a safe distance from others.
According to State Rep. Tim Whelan, on Memorial Day between 11:30 a.m. and 11:40 a.m., the “sound of freedom” from the Nation's First 104th Fighter Wing "will echo over Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne to honor the heroes who have defended our great Nation."
Chelsea and Holyoke Soldiers' Homes will both be streaming virtual observances of Memorial Day on their Facebook pages starting at 5 p.m. on Monday.
There will also be a virtual Memorial Day event with speakers and musical performers from across the Commonwealth, remarks by Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito, legislative leaders, and a special “Tribute to the Fallen” by the Massachusetts National Guard. The event will be streamed online and broadcast on TV.
Gov. Baker's office says there will also be dozens of buildings, bridges, flags, and parks across the Commonwealth that will be illuminated in gold to honor Gold Star Families on the eve of Memorial Day.
The following Massachusetts municipalities will be taking part in honoring Gold Star families on Sunday night:
Agawam Military Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery
Arlington Town Hall
Belmont Veterans Memorial
Beverly Department of Public Works Building
Boston City Hall
Boston Government Center
Boston Prudential Tower
Boston's Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge
Braintree Town Hall
Cambridge City Hall
Charlton Town Hall
Chelsea Soldiers’ Home
Chelsea (locations throughout the community)
Danvers Town Hall
Dracut Revolutionary Monument
Dracut, corner of Pleasant and Bridge Street
Easton Veterans Memorial Park
Essex Town Hall
Everett Encore Casino
Fall River Government Center Building
Franklin Town Hall
Georgetown Town Hall
Gloucester City Hall Tower
Great Barrington Police Department
Hingham Veterans Memorial and Town Hall
Holyoke Soldiers’ Home
Ipswich Town Hall
Kingston Town Hall
Lawrence, Canal Street Bridge
Leominster Veterans Memorial Center
Longmeadow Memorial Hall
Ludlow Town Hall
Marshfield Veterans Memorial Park
Medfield, Baxter Memorial Park
Medford City Hall
Melrose Memorial Hall
Middleborough Town Hall Bell Tower
Millis Town Hall Monuments
Nahant American Legion Post #215 Garrison Flag
New Bedford City Hall
New Bedford, Elm Street Garage
New Braintree Town Hall
Newbury Town Hall
North Brookfield Town Hall
North Reading Town Hall Gazebo
Natick DPW Headquarters
Natick Community Building and Moran Park
Norton Town Hall
Oxford Town Hall and Pavilion
Palmer Town Hall
Pittsfield City Hall
Rehoboth Veterans Memorial Gazebo and Cenotaph
Rowley Town Hall
Saugus Town Hall
Scituate Town Common
Seekonk Veterans Memorial Park
Sharon Fire Department
Southbridge Gold Star Memorial
Stoneham Town Common
Sudbury Town Hall
Swansea Town Hall
Templeton WWI and WWII Monuments
Walpole Town Common Memorial
Watertown Flag Pole
Watertown Delta
Wenham Town Hall
West Newbury Town Hall
Westfield Town Green
Westford Town Hall
Winchendon Military Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery
Woburn City Hall
Worcester, Kenneth F. Burns Memorial Bridge
Officials are asking residents across the state to take photos of their local monuments and bridges once they are illuminated in gold, and post them online as a way to "honor our heroes together, even if we are physically apart."
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