Town of Hubbardston organizers set Memorial Day plans, debate noon flag-raising and finalize setup schedule

Town of Hubbardston organizers met to finalize logistics for the town's Memorial Day ceremony, weighing whether to change parade step-off times or pause the program at noon for the flag-raising.

The meeting, led by the group's moderator, centered on choreography and timing: whether the parade should step off later so the flag-raising occurs at noon, or whether the ceremony should simply pause at whatever point noon arrives. "It's supposed to be noon," said a committee member who pressed the group to honor the exact time for the flag-raising. Members agreed the simplest approach is to keep the currently published 11 a.m. start and pause the program at the appropriate moment if necessary, adjusting the printed script if veterans or performers require different cues.

Organizers confirmed performers and readers. The group has identified three student readers for the Gettysburg Address or preamble and expects to secure a sixth-grade Hubbardston student as a backup if needed; the principal agreed to allow a recess-time appearance to avoid conflicts with MCAS testing. The committee reported roughly 20 to 21 singers will participate and that the anthem will be handled by a local group coordinated by a member named Mel.

The committee discussed veteran outreach and recognition plans. Members reviewed a veterans list and noted many entries lack email addresses, so they will use a mix of mass emails and cold calls to ensure veterans and Gold Star families are invited. The moderator said she would begin phone outreach and post reminders on social media.

Logistics confirmed include a shuttle bus and float preparation. A member confirmed the shuttle (BART bus) has been reserved and "they're all set," and the group set a decoration and setup time for the weekend before the event: volunteers will meet Sunday afternoon, with a 4 p.m. plan to stage and decorate the float and move chairs from the meeting house to the park. Members discussed weather contingencies and the limited indoor capacity of the meeting house should the ceremony be moved indoors.

Other details finalized during the meeting: the organizers will prepare certificates for student participants (one member volunteered to design them using a template), the trumpeter will be paid by check after performing, and roughly 44 T-shirts will be made available to veterans and attendees rather than sold. On wording for the poppy-placement portion of the program, members agreed to replace branch-specific language (for example, "representative of the U.S. Navy") with a more flexible wording asking for "a representative" to step forward so the ceremony does not require a service-branch presence that may not exist on the day.

The committee set a short follow-up meeting to finalize the lineup and confirm trailer and decoration arrival times; they plan to circulate a final agenda and participant line-up before that session. The group then moved to adjourn, with the motion carried by voice vote.

What happens next: organizers will continue outreach to veterans and performers, confirm final speaker titles and student names for the program, prepare certificates and sashes, and reconvene for a brief meeting to lock in final timing and the decoration schedule.