Celebrate Memorial Day Virtually This Year In Lexington

Press release from the Town of Lexington:

May 21, 2020

While the traditional Memorial Day parade, wreath-layings, and ceremony won’t be happening this year, Lexington will still observe the holiday.

“We’ll do it differently this year, but we will definitely be honoring Lexington’s fallen who deserve to be remembered.” Lorain Marquis, chair of the Town Celebrations Committee

Celebrate Memorial Day by Listening to WWII memories

As part of the Lexington Remembers WWII project, we have interviewed several residents about their memories. Their stories range from the War itself, to returning home, to stories about the homefront. There are sad stories, and there is at least one love story. These Oral Histories give the listeners unique content of Lexington’s involvement in WWII. Listen to these Oral Histories of WWII.

In our eAlbum, we are also celebrating those veterans who moved to Lexington after the war. Please continue to send us photos and any information about Lexingtonians who served in WWII to WWTWOLexington@gmail.com.

On Monday, May 25, at 11:00 AM, LexMedia will air the Lexington 2020 Memorial Day Observance. The program will be repeated several times throughout the day and will be uploaded to Lexmedia's YouTube channel, as well as made available on demand.

“We decided to create this video at the beginning of May,” said Marquis, “and we’ve been working day and night to finish it. We have a great team, so many have worked on it, but I want to especially thank Terry Samaras, Executive Producer at LexMedia, and TCC members Mary Hutton and Geetha Padaki who serve as Director and Producer of the video, for making this happen.”

The Committee has tried to involve as many community members as possible. Several familiar voices served as narrators:

• Paul O’Shaughnessy, Colonel, His Majesty’s 10th Regiment of Foot
• Regie Gibson, Cary Library Poet in Residence
• Glen Bassett, USMC retired
• Sam Doran, historian and member of the Lexington Minute Men
• Gina Rada, Veterans Services Director, Lexington/Bedford/Carlisle

The Lexington Minute Men participated by laying wreaths at several memorials as did several Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

Jeff Leonard, retired musical director at Lexington High School, served as music consultant.

This press release was produced by the Town of Lexington. The views expressed here are the author’s own.