More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.
Wellesley will honor all Veterans on Friday, Nov. 11 with a ceremony outdoors at the War Memorial in front of Town Hall along Washington Street (the event will will indoors to the Great Hall if there’s inclement weather).
The annual Veterans Day program will begin at 11 a.m., and all are welcome.
While Town Hall will be open during the program, all departments and offices will be closed for the holiday.
Memorial Day observances in Wellesley took place in front of Town Hall at the War Memorial on Monday evening. The moving ceremony included a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, a rifle salute by the Wellesley Police Department, the presentation of the War Memorial scholarship awards, patriotic songs, poetry readings, and more.
The Veterans Services department is seeking volunteers to assist with Wellesley Memorial Day preparations.
On Friday, May 20 at 3:45 p.m. volunteers are needed to help place flags on veterans’ graves at Woodlawn Cemetery (148 Brook Street). Please contact Graves and Ceremonial Officer Joe Oliveri at 774-292-9932 to participate.
On Monday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m. the Town will hold its annual Memorial Day ceremony outdoors at the Wellesley War Memorial in front of Town Hall. The community is invited to attend and honor the service of our military heroes.
This always moving service includes a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, a rifle salute by the Wellesley Police Department, patriotic songs, and more.
Wellesley will honor its Veterans on Thursday, Nov. 11 at 11a.m. with observances in front of Town Hall.
This year’s event will take place on the lawn in front of the Wellesley War Memorial along Washington Street. If it rains, the event will be moved into the Great Hall of Town Hall.
Observances will include recognizing retired military personnel, guest speakers from local colleges, Wellesley Police and Fire Department honor guards, members of the American Legion Post 72, as well as a prisoner of war ceremony and retiring of the flag.
The community is invited to attend this event and support all veterans.
Please note: Wellesley municipal buildings and departments, including the Recycling and Disposal Facility, are closed on Veterans Day.
This film commemorates the 75th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion of Normandy, France. After a year of raising funds and finding D-Day veterans who could muster the strength to travel, this was filmed in June 2019 on the sacred beaches of Normandy. We look forward to sharing this documentary with all of you. A film that reveres those heroes — some from a different land who gave their lives — but to remember those who were lucky enough to live through it all. It also is to honor those French residents of the first generation, who lost their lives in the Invasion and those who survived and carried on the spirit year after year. The second generation has been taught by their parents to never forget the sacrifices that were made. The veterans who visit Normandy over the years can attest to the hospitality of these caring and loving people.
On the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, observances were held at the Wellesley Hills Fire Department Headquarters to honor and remember the 2,977 civilians and first responders who died on that day.
Addressing a crowd of about 80 Wellesley residents, first responders, and town officials, Select Board Chair Tom Ulfelder said, “Today marks the anniversary of the most lethal attack on American soil, when nineteen terrorists from half a world away hijacked four commercial aircraft and turned them into weapons that rained death on New York City, the Pentagon, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. That terrible day brought changes large and small that effect every facet of American life. Seventy million people living in the United States had not yet been born on September 11, 2001, but there are many living now who are haunted by memories that stalk them in unguarded moments.”
Wellesley residents who lost their lives in the attacks were named: Neilie Casey; Edmund Glaser; Patrick Quigley; and John Cahill.
Select Board members Lise Olney, Beth Sullivan Woods, Tom Ulfelder, and Colette Aufranc also were in attendance at the ceremony.
(We’ll add a link to Wellesley Media’s recording when it’s available.)
We always enjoy our adventures to the Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF) because we never know what we might find. During a recent foray we noticed something unusual not at the treasure trove that is the Reusables Area, but over at the construction debris pile. There, standing at attention, was a 3-ft. tall statue of a U.S. soldier in combat uniform. The base of the statue reads, “Honor and Bravery.”
The polyresin-constructed military man was much the worse for the wear, and it seemed obvious that the RDF was his last stop. A online search showed that such statues are easily available in the $100 – $150 range. We imagine this soldier stood proudly out in the elements for a long time before he finally got to the RDF.
At ease, soldier, and thank you for your service.
Although the next pic isn’t a dump find, in keeping with the military theme of this post, I’ll share that below are the spent shells from dad’s military funeral seven years ago. A standard part of any military funeral is the ceremonial shooting of three volleys in honor of the deceased. The spent shell casings are then presented to the family.
One year on dad’s birthday Mr. Swellesley and I went out to dinner, and my fortune cookie said, “Courage comes through suffering.” I don’t typically believe in messages from beyond, but this fortune was so accurate that there was no tossing it out with the leftover lo mein. There was only one place for these words—on display with our family’s final reminders that service to country can bring lifelong challenges.
