By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
One does not say "Happy Memorial Day". The Quiet Corner honored the fallen with solemn parades May 28 and 29.
In Putnam the parade marshal was Rolland "Rollie" Johnson, a U.S. Army veteran. The Poppy Queens were Emily St. Martin for the American Legion and Rilynne Mae Sargent for the VFW. Following the parade, at the Memorial Day program in Rotary Park, keynote speaker James Eccleston (U.S. Army corporal) spoke eloquently about the origins of Memorial Day --- Decoration Day in the 1800s. He urged the audience to close their eyes and imagine the day in the late 1800s: All the shops are closed and you go to Grove Street Cemetery or what is now St. Mary's Cemetery and put wildflowers on every veterans grave, "making sure each and everyone is honored." He called the audience to remember the meaning behind Memorial Day. Honoring those who sacrificed for the freedoms Americans enjoy.
In Pomfret, in his remembrance remarks, Steven Raheb, lieutenant commander Medical Corp. U.S. Naval Reserve, (retired), recalled serving in Subic in the Philippines when Desert Storm caused a buildup at Subic "not seen since Vietnam." The freedoms are paid for with the blood of those who died. He thanked the audience for giving thanks for those sacrifices. Eighth grader Isabelle Tedisky read her prize-winning essay. She won the Pomfret Lions Club's contest.
In Putnam veterans groups are proud, said American Legion Post 13 Commander Michael Vassar, to put up the flags each spring along the Rt. 44 bridge. They save the old ones and present them to deserving veterans. This year, flags were presented to Eric Quinn, Johnson, Jim Eccleston and veteran and deputy mayor Roy Simmons.

 

aption, page 1:

In Pomfret
Matthew Maddocks, Yukino Maddocks, 7, and Rie Maddocks of Canterbury, listened to the Memorial Day program in Pomfret. More photos on page 4. Expanded photo gallery Wed. night on our FB page: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.

captions, page 4: Clockwise from top left:
Lochlan O'Neil-Vollinger, 16 mos., of Pomfret.
Veterans before the Putnam parade.
Pomfret Lions Club President William Cole handing out flags.
The Connecticut National Guard's 250th Engineering in Putnam. Courtesy photo.

captions, page 4, right stack:
Michael Vassar, James Eccleston and Dave Butler
Butler, Eric Quinn and Vassar
Butler, Johnson and Vassar
Al Cormier, Mayor Barney Seney and Roy Simmons