Published in the November 7, 2019 edition.
By JAY PINETTE
Chairman, Wakefield
Veterans Advisory Board
WAKEFIELD — We are looking forward to having the town’s annual Veterans Day ceremony on Monday, November 11, at 11 a.m. in our magnificent Veterans Memorial Auditorium at the Galvin Middle School.
Once again this year, we are pleased to have the talented musicians of the Wakefield Memorial High School Wind Ensemble and the vocal talents of the Wakefield Memorial High School Chamber Singers, Treble Choir and the Wakefield Choral Society supporting the program. David Mangan, a United States Air Force Veteran of the Vietnam War and the current Veterans Services Officer for the Town of Wakefield will be the keynote speaker at this year’s ceremony. We will also have Reverend John Dale of the First Parish Congregational Church offering prayers during the ceremony. Our local Boy Troop #701 will also be on hand to assist in the ceremony.
We also plan to present the Korean Ambassador for Peace Medal on behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to one of Wakefield’s Korean War Veterans during the ceremony.
A collation, courtesy of Derek Robertson of the Lakeside Honey Dew Donuts, will be held in the Galvin Middle School cafeteria at the conclusion of the ceremony.
The schedule for the day’s program is as follows:
• Welcome/Open Ceremony – Jay Pinette, Chairman, Wakefield Veterans Advisory Board
• Posting of the Colors by Wakefield Boy Scouts, Troop 701
• Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance
• “Star Spangled Banner” lyrics by Francis Scott Key; music by John Stafford Smith; performed by Wakefield Memorial High School Treble Choir under the direction of Ms. Ana Morel
• Invocation – Reverend John Dale, First Parish Congregational Church of Wakefield
• Welcome Remarks – Wakefield Town Council Chairman Edward Dombroski
• Commonwealth of Mass. Veterans Day 2019 Proclamation
• “Let Freedom Ring!” by Ruth Morris Gray performed by the Wakefield Memorial High School Chamber Singers under the direction of Ms. Ana Morel, accompanied by Ms. Jane O’Keefe
• “Armed Forces – the Pride of America” performed by the Wakefield Memorial High School Wind Ensemble under the direction of Mr. Thomas Bankert
• Selections performed by the Wakefield Choral Society, under the direction of Ms. Kaitlin Donovan, accompanied by Mr. Joe Beninati: “Let Freedom Ring, A Patriotic Celebration”—Arranged by Keith Christopher; “America, The Beautiful”— Words: Katherine Lee Bates; Music: Samuel A. Ward; Arranged by Mark Hayes
• Keynote Address by David Mangan, U.S. Air Force Veteran, Wakefield Veterans Services Officer
• Wakefield Walk of Remembrance/Pavers and Moment of Silence in memory of our fallen veterans
• Korean Ambassador for Peace Medal Presentation – VSO David Mangan
• Closing Prayer – Reverend John Dale
• Colors will be retired by the Wakefield Boy Scouts
• Closing remarks and close of ceremony – Jay Pinette
• Collation in Galvin Middle School Cafeteria
