State Sen. Stephen M. Brewer said it is important to protect and serve veterans when they return home.
Veterans Day ceremonies will be taking place in several communities in the Pioneer Valley over the next few days, and state Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, said these occasions are appropriate times not just to honor those who served in war but to concentrate on protecting and serving them as they come back home.
Most events will take place Friday, Nov. 11, which has been the nation’s official Veterans Day since 1954 and was known as Armistice Day for decades before that. Armistice Day recognized the armistice that ended World War I at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918.
Springfield, Amherst, Palmer, Northampton, Holyoke, Ludlow, Agawam, West Springfield, Wilbraham, Belchertown and Westfield are among the communities with Veterans Day ceremonies Friday.
The town of Ware will have its ceremonies Sunday, Nov. 13.
Ware’s events will include a parade that will start at American Legion Post 123 on Maple Street at 1 p.m. then travel down South Street and Main Street to Veterans Park, where a program is scheduled to begin at 1:15 p.m.
Al Albrecht, the oldest active member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2577, will be parade marshal in Ware, and Jack McQuaid will be master of ceremonies at the park program.
Senator Brewer and state Reps. Anne M. Gobi, D-Spencer, and Todd M. Smola, R-Palmer, will take part in the Ware ceremony, and Patriots Pen contest winner Courtney Jacques will read her award-winning essay.
Following the Ware veterans observances, members of the town’s 250th Anniversary Committee will read a proclamation closing the anniversary events and thanking residents for their participation.
The Springfield parade will start at 11 a.m., Friday, at Springfield Technical Community College and proceed to Court Square and City Hall for a ceremony.
The Springfield Veterans Activities Committee is coordinating the city’s events, which will include placing a wreath at the War Monument.
In Amherst, there will be a ceremony Friday at 10:45 a.m. in front of Town Hall.
Westfield will have a parade at 10:30 a.m. from the intersection of Chapel and Elm streets down Broad Street to West Silver Street, where there will be a ceremony at Parker Memorial Park.
In Palmer there will be a parade starting at 10:30 a.m. from the Thorndike Post Office to the Lake Junction Memorial Boulder for the ceremony, followed by a reception at the St. Joseph’s Club.
Chicopee will celebrate Veteran’s day with several events on Friday. There will be a memorial Service at Doverbrook Road at 8:30 a.m. It will be followed by a memorial Mass at 10 a.m. St. Anthony of Padua Church on 56 Anthony St.
At 11 a.m. there will be the laying of the wreath at Chicopee Veterans’ Plaza on Front Street.
The Chicopee Veterans’ advisory Board and the Department of Veterans’ Services will also hold a veterans forum from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 19 at the Charles Kennedy Post 275, on Robbins Road.
More than 30 vendors will offer a variety of information to veterans and their spouses about benefits and entitlements. Those attending should show a copy of their military or DD214 identification.
Northampton’s Friday events will start with an 11 a.m. parade starting at Lampron Park on Bridge Street and will proceed down Main Street to Memorial Hall next to Pulaski Park.
Gerry Clark, president of the Veterans Council of Northampton, Ellenor Rennell, Mayor David Narkewicz and others will speak during the program.
The Belchertown ceremonies will start with a 9:30 a.m. march from Town Hall to the Town Common Friday to honor veterans and will also feature an 11 a.m. program of music and speeches at Belchertown High School.
In Holyoke there will be a ceremony Friday at the War Memorial at Appleton and Maple streets, starting with a 9 a.m. social hour. At 10 a.m. the names of Holyoke veterans who died in the past year will be read.
Agawam veterans groups will hold a ceremony at 10:45 a.m. Friday at Veterans Green by Phelps School. They will also take part in 9:30 a.m. service with West Springfield veterans on the Agawam-West Springfield bridge.
In West Springfield, a parade will step off from the parking lot of St. Thomas School at 11 a.m. Friday and march to American Legion Post 207 on Park Avenue.
The Ludlow Veterans Day Ceremony which had been scheduled for Friday at 9 a.m. at the Exit 7 Theater on Chestnut Street in Ludlow has been moved to the Ludlow High School auditorium at Chapin Street in Ludlow.
Veterans Day ceremonies in Wilbraham will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Crane Park on Main Street. Rev. Brian Tracy, pastor of Evangel Assembly of God Church on Stony Hill Road, will deliver the invocation. Kathy Dion, a student at Minnechaug Regional High School, will sing the Star Spangled Banner.
Veterans Agent Richard Prochnow will deliver the welcome. Prochnow will be honored for 25 years of service as veterans agent.
Senator Brewer said that in addition to the ceremonies in the next few days, the month of November has been designated as “Hire a Veteran Month” in Massachusetts.
“Just as our nation vows to honor our soldiers, Massachusetts has also made a vow to protect and serve our troops coming home,” Brewer said.
Peter Goonan, Lori Stabile, Mike Plaisance, Suzanne McLaughlin, Jeanette Deforge, Sandy Constantine, Fred Contrada, Diane Lederman and Ted Laborde contributed to this story.