Torrington will celebrate Memorial Day a bit differently this year. To protect the health of residents and visitors, the regular downtown parade has been cancelled due to the continued threat of COVID-19. In the spirit of continuing the longstanding tradition of Memorial Day ceremonies, Mayor Elinor Carbone and the Torrington Veterans Memorial Committee have decided to develop a “virtual parade” slideshow, and a video veterans’ recognition ceremony, to be shared through the City website and local media.
“We would like for all our Torrington organizations to participate in this effort so our veterans, and their families and friends, know how valued and appreciated they are to this community.” Send us a photo of your group or organization showing gratitude for our veterans. You can get creative! Some ideas are holding up a sign with a message honoring our veterans, or decorating your home, yard or vehicle to commemorate Memorial Day. Please, remember social distancing and mask recommendations.
Please email your photo(s), including the name of your organization, to the Torrington Veterans Memorial Committee at vetactcom@yahoo.com. The deadline to submit photos is Friday, May 22. If you are not able to get your organization together for a photo, consider submitting a photo from the last parade your group participated in, along with a Memorial Day message. These photos will be incorporated into a slideshow that will become our virtual parade.
Other ways our community can commemorate Memorial Day are by displaying the American flag and other patriotic decorum. Children can get involved by reading the poem “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae, and can draw or craft red poppies to wear or display.
In observance of the National Moment of Remembrance Resolution, residents can salute our veterans sacrifice by standing outside their homes at 3:00 PM on Memorial Day (Monday, May 25) for the tolling of an honor bell. It doesn’t matter what kind of a bell, what size bell, or if you download a bell tone, we just want to demonstrate to all of our veterans, and their families and friends, that we appreciate all those who have died who served in our nation’s military.
The virtual parade and veterans’ recognition ceremony will be accessible to view beginning at 9:00 AM on Memorial Day (Monday, May 25) through the City of Torrington’s website, www.torringtonct.org, and will also be broadcast at the same time by Litchfield Cablevision Channel 5 and Torrington Community Radio WAPJ, as well as on Mayor Carbone’s Facebook page.
We hope you will join us in recognizing, honoring, remembering and thanking our Veterans by showing them our respect, support and gratitude. Let’s show them that we will never forget them, and are forever grateful for their dedication and sacrifice they have given in the service of our country.