Memorial Day 2022 and the weekend leading up to it saw many Newtown residents taking the opportunity to mark the traditional start of summer, while at the same time mourning and remembering all US military personnel who have died while serving in the United States armed forces.

Locally, the holiday weekend marked the return of at least one traditional activity that was temporarily halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the introduction of a new one.

Beginning on Friday, May 27, Scouts, troop leaders, and volunteers from Troop 370 and Troop 870 returned to a pandemic-paused tradition of offering coffee and baked goods to locals and road-weary holiday travelers alike in the parking lot of Newtown Hardware on Church Hill Road.

According to Assistant Scoutmaster Rob Sibley who coordinated the event, the troops set up their operation on Thursday.

“We just love giving back to the town,” said Sibley.

And businesses from town and surrounding towns in turn supported the effort by way of offering coffee, baked goods, the space for the event, and electricity and water. According to Sibley local businesses supporting the event included Newtown Hardware, Blue Colony Diner, Newtown Pizza Palace, Bagel Delight, Newtown Dunkin’ Donuts, Java Joint in Monroe, and The Bakery of Southbury.

As people drove into the parking lot, many who saw the series of signs placed along both stretches of Interstate 84 east and west of Exit 10, Scouts smiled and offered them snacks and beverages. Their smiles were matched as people walked away, holding steaming cups of coffee and baked goods.

As Sunday’s warm sun faded toward evening on May 29, people began walking up Main Street for the American Legion Post 202’s Memorial Day ceremony, which represented Newtown’s newest commemorative holiday weekend activity.

Gathering around The Liberty & Peace Monument (a/k/a Soldiers & Sailors Memorial) at 66 Main Street, attendees witnessed the results of the Post’s collaboration with the Newtown Woman’s Club and Borough of Newtown — a Memorial Day Luminary Tribute.

As in many years past, Newtown Woman’s Club volunteers had placed flags around the monument on Friday, May 27, and ahead of the Sunday ceremony where luminarias were situated around the base of the monument and between the flags on the grass.

The illuminated bags were sold for $5 as a fundraiser for Post 202, and community members placed the names of loved ones on the bags.

‘Taps’ Along Main Street

Just before 6 pm, American Legion Post 202 Post Commander Donna Monteleone announced that everyone should be ready to hear “Taps” performed. As the first notes were heard, people began removing their hats and looking down Main Street as first Scout BSA Troop 270 and 70 members began playing in different locations.

At 6 pm, Max Barbagallo played at C.H. Booth Library, at 6:01 pm Henry Blatter played at the flagpole, at 6:02 pm Simon Pategas played at Edmond Town Hall. Then Dr Mark Flegg lifted his trumpet at 6:03 pm at The Liberty & Peace Monument to play the final round of “Taps.”

The small red, white, and blue flags fluttered in the wind as he played, and everyone looked up at the taller flagpole next to the monument. Shortly after, American Legion Post 202 Assistant Commander Tony Keating offered a prayer, and Monteleone spoke, noting this is the third year the American Legion Post 202 has hosted a ceremony for Memorial Day.

“Memorial Day is officially a day on which we remember those who died in active military service. It is set as the last Monday of May. However, today we are also honoring all veterans who served and have now passed away,” Monteleone read at the ceremony.

She reminded the gathered group that for the last two years American Legion Post 202 held a “Taps Along the Housatonic” event, and “this year, we chose to remember the day along Main Street where more people could attend.”

Monteleone thanked all who made the event possible, including the Borough of Newtown, Newtown Woman’s Club, Newtown Police Department, Scout BSA Troop 70 and Troop 270, the musicians, First Selectman Dan Rosenthal, State Representative Mitch Bolinsky, and photographers Dr Bill Glass and Marleen Cafarelli.

“Most of all, I want to thank my American Legion brothers and sisters here who through teamwork and creativity have been able to make today a reality,” Monteleone read. “I want to extend my special thanks to Sr Vice Commander Tony Keating, Adjutant Christine Calabrese, Mary Pendergast and Mary Canfield Witty for the many hours of work, their support, encouragement but most of all teamwork.”

Saying that she had hoped to sell and place 100 luminaria at the monument, she learned earlier that day that there were just under 300.

“We hope that these luminarias, which we are lighting today, will shine tonight and through Monday night,” said Monteleone.

She also said American Legion Post 202 works year-round to provide programs and events for students and the community.

“If you are a veteran who has served at least one day on federal active duty, we would love to hear from you and have you join us. If you are the family member of a veteran, who is living or deceased, we would love to have you join us as part of the American Legion Family,” Monteleone read. “Your veteran, living or deceased, does not need to have lived in Newtown. We meet the First Wednesday of the month at 7 pm at the Newtown Community Center.”

First Selectman Dan Rosenthal then spoke, saying he remembers past Memorial Day events held at The Liberty & Peace Monument.

Rosenthal said he was honored to be at the event with everyone present, and he reflected on the courage that all of “our service men and women” share.

Later, State Rep and Newtown resident Mitch Bolinsky offered a reflection. “This is the day we pause and honor folks who laid their life down for everything we have,” Bolinsky said.

After the ceremony, everyone was invited to help light the luminarias. Some looked for a bag with their father’s or uncle’s name, others looked for many bags with loved ones’ names, and others lit bags with words thanking all of Newtown’s veterans.

VFW’s Solemn Ceremony

Another long-standing tradition on Memorial Day commenced at Newtown VFW Post 308 May 30, honoring those who gave all with a brief speaking program, the laying of a commemorative wreath and flowers, several meaningful salutes, and an unexpected flyover of a huge military transport aircraft.

The 20-minute ceremony was book-ended by the acapella singing of the National Anthem by Newtown resident Colette Burke, and the playing of “Taps” by Post member and bugler Bill Clark. Burke had recently won the statewide VFW Auxiliary singing competition, and will soon head for Washington, D.C. to represent Newtown and Connecticut competing for the national title.

The program opened with a welcome from Post Commander Paul Galietti, who approached the microphone under the watchful eyes of his son, Paulie, age 4, who was perched observing his dad from atop the decommissioned howitzer that sits in front of the Tinkerfield Road club.

The senior Galietti then invited Newtown Christian Church Pastor Jack Tanner to deliver a blessing, followed by a few remarks from State Rep Mitch Bolinsky and First Selectman Dan Rosenthal, who noted that “no speech can adequately express our gratitude for those women and men who served” and gave their lives to protect the United States.

At that point, a wreath was laid at a small monument in front of Post 308 by John Peters, followed by Marty Madden, Sgt Jack Renhoff, and Scott Gagner, who each stepped up to place red, white, and blue carnations in front of the granite memorial.

Galietti then returned to the podium to close the program.

Reiterating remarks he had posted earlier on a social network site, the Post commander restated “...a few words from an aging Marine” remembering “our comrades who never came home.” He talked about his active duty service and landing in Saudi Arabia almost 32 years ago.

“In my mind, I remember trying to figure out how long I was going to be there,” he said having heard that negotiations might be happening to resolve the Middle East conflict.

“If that worked, I might only be there for a month or two. That was my fantasy. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen and we went to war,” he said.

“War ... tests you physically, emotionally, spiritually, and most of all mentally. It is not just the stress of combat. It is the living conditions, the lack of food, lack of sleep, the lack of control over circumstances back home,” Galietti said. “It immediately matures you way beyond your age. The one common denominator every single one of us shared equivocally, was the desire to eventually go home.”

He held the audience transfixed as he detailed the range of emotions and feelings he and his surviving brothers in arms experienced as the plane carrying them home finally departed, noting the collective sigh of relief as it finally lifted off the pocked runway. In the 30-plus years, Galietti said he has experienced so much, and that “it breaks my heart that so many young servicemen and women will never have the luxury of coming home and experiencing what should have been the rest of their young lives.”

Encouraging the several dozen attendees to take a moment to recognize and remember those who had fallen, he stood tall and offered a slow, crisp salute as the strains of “Taps” echoed across the shady grove where most of the visitors stood.

The VFW event ended with a small reception inside the Post before the members and guests headed out to whatever plans they had for the remainder of Memorial Day, freshly armed with Galietti’s words serving to reinforce the true meaning of the holiday, and holding close to their hearts the memory of all the brave women and men who gave their lives in service.

Education Editor Eliza Hallabeck can be reached at eliza@thebee.com. Editor John Voket can be reached at john@thebee.com.