In observance of Memorial Day, all United States and state flags should be lowered on Memorial Day Monday, May 25. In accordance with US Flag code, flags should be lowered from sunrise until noon on the day that Americans honor those who have served and those who continue to serve in the Armed Forces.

Newtown VFW post will have its annual Memorial Day Commemoration Ceremony on Monday, beginning at 11 am. The public is invited to join post members for the brief ceremony, which will take place at the post, 18 Tinkerfield Road.

On Friday morning, President Barack Obama issued his annual Memorial Day proclamation, for the day when, as he said, “the United States pauses to honor the fallen heroes who died in service to our Nation. With heavy hearts and a sense of profound gratitude, we mourn these women and men — parents, children, loved ones, comrades-in-arms, friends, and all those known and unknown — who believed so deeply in what our country could be they were willing to give their lives to protect its promise. Our hearts ache in their absence, but their spirit gives us strength to continue their work of securing and renewing the liberties that all Americans cherish and for which these heroes gave their last full measure of devotion.

“In solemn reflection, we gather — in small towns and big cities, on battlefields, in cemeteries, and at sacred places where blood has been shed for freedom’s cause — throughout our country and around the world to remember the unbroken chain of patriots who won independence, saved our Union, defeated fascism, and protected the Nation we love from emerging threats in a changing world. Today, their legacy is carried forward by a new generation of servicemen and women and all who strive to shape a more perfect America; and their enormous sacrifices continue to make our opportunity possible,” the proclamation continued.

“We owe all those who sacrifice in our name a tremendous debt, including our Nation’s mothers and fathers who have given their daughters and sons to America, spouses and partners who shoulder the weight of unthinkable loss, and courageous children in whom the legacies of their parents live on. As a Nation, we must uphold our obligations to these Gold Star families. We have pledged to them that they will never walk alone — that their country will be there for them always — and we must work every day to make good on this promise.”

The President continued, “Our Nation will never forget the valor and distinction of the women and men who defend freedom, justice, and peace. Today, we rededicate ourselves to commitments equal to the caliber of those who have rendered the highest service:  to support our troops with the resources they need to do their jobs; to never stop searching for those who have gone missing or are prisoners of war; to ensure all our veterans have access to the care and benefits they have earned and deserve; and to continue our constant work of building a Nation worthy of the heroes we honor today.”

Read the full text of the President’s proclamation here.

Also on Friday, Governor Dannel P. Malloy reminded state residents of the order to lower flags on Monday, and recognized in his annual Memorial Day proclamation Connecticut’s “deep military history.”

“The men and women in our Armed Forces have sacrificed so much to make our state and our country what it is today,” he said. “Freedom, liberty, democracy are all values that embody the United States, and are all values that so many in our Armed Forces have sacrificed to defend. We are forever grateful for their service.

“On Memorial Day,” he continued, “we especially pay tribute to the military personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of their nation. Their families and loved ones are in our hearts and prayers.  We are forever grateful for the patriotism, bravery, and sense of duty exhibited by our service men and women, and we thank them for their contributions to this nation.”

Lt Governor Nancy Wyman joined the governor in extending her thanks to all members of the Armed Forces on May 22.

“Each year, we stand united in remembering this nation’s heroes – the men and women who gave their lives in service to our democracy, out of a deep sense of duty, and in defense of the freedoms we enjoy every day,” she said. “We gather to reflect on their lives and their legacies, and to honor the sacrifices they — and their families — have made since the very founding of this country. Our thoughts are with the fallen troops and their loved ones, and our prayers are with the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen who continue to serve our country bravely and honorably.”

Local Holiday Closings

All town offices will be closed on Monday, May 25, in honor of Memorial Day.

Newtown Senior Center, the schools, and C.H. Booth Library also will be closed.

The transfer station on Ethan Allen Road will be closed. (The transfer station is regularly closed to the public on Mondays. It will not be open on Memorial Day for commercial service.)

The Bee offices will be closed on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, May 23-25. We will reopen at 8 am Tuesday, May 26.