With COVID-19 restrictions still in place, many communities have opted to hold virtual Veterans Day ceremonies this year.
In Lynn and Swampscott, pre-recorded ceremonies will air on their respective cable television stations, Lynn Community TV and Swampscott local cable, beginning on Wednesday, according to Michael Sweeney, the director of veterans services for both Lynn and Swampscott.
In Lynn, the pre-recorded ceremony, which will feature remarks from Mayor Thomas M. McGee, will also include a Marine Corps birthday celebration — the Marine Corps officially turns 245 years old on Tuesday, Sweeney said.
Recorded at Manning Field, the ceremony will feature performances from singer Dan Clark and the Lynn English Marine Corps JROTC, Sweeney said.
“I think people will like it. I encourage people to tune in,” he said.
In Swampscott, a ceremony will be recorded at the town’s cemetery and will feature remarks from Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald. Attendees will include the town’s veterans, members of the Select Board, gold star mother Jaclyn Raymond, whose son, Army Specialist Jared Raymond, 20, was killed while serving in Iraq in 2006, Sweeney said.
Each year, children from Stanley Elementary School provide a school gift to the town’s veterans as part of the program, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, that gift will be presented by a Stanley teacher on behalf of her students, Sweeney said.
In lieu of veterans not being able to attend in Lynn and few being able to attend Swampscott’s ceremony this year, Sweeney said veterans or their families have been encouraged to submit a photo of themselves or their loved ones through the Lynn/Swampscott Veterans Department Facebook page so their service can be recognized in an online display during the ceremony.
Visit them on Facebook.com/LynnSwampscottVets for more information on submitting a photo.
“It’s a great way for people to get recognition,” said Sweeney. “I think one of the best parts of these programs is that veterans come out and are honored. We have to find a way to do this in a responsible way to make sure they’re honored so we don’t lose sight of honoring our veterans.”
In Salem, those interested can watch this year’s ceremony live on the city’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/cityofsalemma). The ceremony will also be aired on Salem Access Television.
Mayor Kim Driscoll, State Senator Joan Lovely and State Representative Paul Tucker will deliver remarks. The guest speaker is U.S. Army Vietnam war veteran Capt. Stanley Burba.
In Saugus, There will be a very small ceremony at the memorial wall where the old Evans School was, across from the Riverside Cemetery starting at 11 a.m., says veterans agent Jay Pinette. It is also virtual.
Revere will hold a virtual ceremony, town-hall style, beginning at 11 a.m.
Speakers include Mayor Brian Arrigo and Ward 2 City Councillor Ira Noveselsky, past commander of the Jewish War Veterans of Massachusetts.
Lynnfield and the Lynnfield Moms’ Group will be hosting a Veterans/Senior Day mobile parade beginning at 10 a.m. in the parking lot of the Our Lady of Assumption School on Salem Street. Participants will decorate their vehicles and proceed at about 11 a.m. to the Lynnfield Housing Authority on Ross Drive. The route continues on Salem Street to Summer Street to the center of town, where it will end.
Social distancing and face masks are mandatory.
Lynnfield normally celebrates Veterans Day with a gathering on the town common and lunch at the Meeting House.
“Unfortunately, it will be quite different from those we’ve celebrated in the past,” said Veterans Services Officer/Director of Veterans Services Bruce Siegel. “With the pandemic still going strong, I think we would all agree that having our customary celebration would be quite risky.”
Siegel encourages children to decorate the front doors of their homes in a patriotic theme to honor all veterans.
“I encourage all residents to join the parade, or show your support along the route,” he said.
The virtual ceremony will be on the Town of Lynnfield website, Lynnfield’s cable TV stations, as well as social media.
Nahant veterans will assemble in Greenlawn Cemetery on Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., for a several minute-long wreath-laying ceremony at the World War I memorial followed by a brief wreath-laying at the World War II/Korean War memorial.
Participants will walk to Veterans Park opposite the Life Saving Station on Nahant Road for an 11 a.m. ceremony.
Marblehead will be holding a Veterans Day memorial ceremony Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. at Memorial Park. The program will focus on the service of our veterans and a rededication of the War on Terror Memorial.
Peabody will honor its veterans with a special Veterans Day program at City Hall. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m.
The keynote address will be given by Peabody’s Donna Jansky, national commander, Fleet Reserve Association. Other speakers include commander of the Peabody Veterans Council Bob Dunne, Mayor Ted Bettencourt, and Bob Sousa, commander of the Portuguese-American War Veterans group.
The highlight of the ceremony will be adding the name of Joseph Phillip Sousa, Jr. to the World War II war memorial located in front of City Hall. Sousa was a Peabody resident and National Guard member who lost his life May 4, 1941 at the age of 21 while training to go overseas at Camp Edwards on Cape Cod.
“His name was inadvertently never included on the memorial because he was believed to have been a Danvers resident, but through extensive research, we finally were able to verify he was living at Peabody at the time of his death,” said Veterans Agent Steve Patten. “Bob (Sousa, no relation) came to me as he thought he was a resident and that his name needed to be added. He said, ‘All I want is to have it done before I die.’”