GREENFIELD — Cloudy skies and the threat of rain didn’t keep Greenfield residents from coming out Monday morning for the annual Memorial Day parade.
Members of the Greenfield High School marching band led the parade, which started at the middle school on Federal Street and ended at Veterans Mall on Main Street. The marching band was joined by the local chapter of disabled veterans, the Elks Lodge, Boy Scout and Cub Scout troops as well as the Greenfield Middle School marching band.
Families watched and cheered from the sides of streets as the parade passed through and the Boy Scouts distributed handheld American flags to the onlookers.
Shawn and Sara Sobolewski brought their daughter Madeline to the parade with other parents and students from the Federal Street Elementary School. Madeline, like most kids at the parade, enjoyed the candy and the parade. After the parade Sara Sabalewski was able to teach her daughter about why it’s important to not let the flags touch the ground.
Bob Walker, Dick West and Peter Broughan all watched the parade from the Elks Lodge parking lot. All three men are veterans and said the parade and Memorial Day celebrations are important to understanding history.
“It’s Memorial Day, it’s the greatest day,” Broughan said. “You gotta do it.”
Broughan said there needs to be more education about the holiday in schools and more children and young people involved.
“It’s a dwindling parade and it needs to keep going,” Broughan said.
Reach Miranda Davis
at 413-772-0261, ext. 280
or mdavis@recorder.com.