Athol celebrates Veterans Day on Nov. 11 with memorial services

ATHOL – Wednesday’s Veterans Day ceremony in Athol will feature guest speaker Sheila Pelletier, who served in the Army National Guard.

Veterans Day ceremonies in Athol will be held Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. in Memorial Hall at Athol Town Hall, 584 Main St.

The event gets underway with the reading of “Remember the Veterans,” a poem written by lifelong Athol resident Gordon Briggs. Briggs was assiogned to the 9^th Air Force in Europe and served as a P-47 “Hellcat” pilot during World War II. He was a member of the 386^th Fighter Squadron of the 365^th Fighter Group. He died at the age of 89 in 2011. His poem will be read by master of ceremonies Scott Hume, president of the Athol Veterans Council.

The posting of the colors will be performed by members of the Marine Corps League, after which an opening prayer will be offered by Bryan Lagimoniere, deacon of the North Quabbin Catholic Community. Marine Corps League member Mark Ellis will then lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

Pelletier, who joined the United States Army Reserve in 1985 and transferred to the Massachusetts Army National Guard in 1993. She retired in 2015 with the rank of master sergeant. According to her bio, Pelletier serves as commander of VFW Post 6538 in Townsend. She is also the chapter service officer for DAV Chapter 30 in Fitchburg.

Pelletier’s military career included a three-year tour of duty as an operational planner for the Region 1 Homeland Response Force, three years as the National Guard senior enlisted liaison at the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, and a 15 months in Iraq in 2003-2004.

The national anthem will be sung at the conclusion of Pelletier’s speech, followed by the laying of the ceremonial wreath by members of the American Legion Auxiliary. The American Legion Post 102 Firing Squad will then fire a rifle salute prior to the playing of taps.

Lagimoniere will offer the closing prayer and the Marine Corps League will remove the colors to conclude the day’s events.

Participating organizations include the Marine Corps League Pequoig Detachment 1168, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 340, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 46, American Veterans Post 793 and Athol American Legion, E.H. Phillips Post 102.

Veterans Day ceremonies at the Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Winchendon will begin at 9 a.m. The cemetery is located at 111 Glenallen St. The invocation will be offered by Winchendon Fire Dept. Chaplain Rev. Cal Miller. The featured speaker will be U.S. Army Lt. Colonel (Ret.) Scott Geer.

Winchendon Town Manager Bill McKinney will also offer remarks. Veterans Cemetery administrator Heidi Hatzidakis will the Governor’s Proclamation designating Nov. 11, 2026 as Veterans Day in Massachusetts. The ceremony will also include a candle lighting in remembrance of America’s POWs/MIA. The rifle salute will be carried out by the Winchendon American Legion, Eugene M. Connor Post 193, with taps to be played by Stephen Babineau. Closing remarks will be made by Ron Cormier, director of the Veterans Cemeteries in Winchendon and Agawam. Miller will offer the benediction.