Middleboro schedules Veterans Day events

Nov 1, 2022

MIDDLEBORO —In observance of Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11, a series of events is scheduled in Middleboro.

Middleborough’s Veterans Day ceremony will be held in the Middleborough Town Hall Auditorium starting at 10 a.m. This year's event will honor Middleboro World War I veterans Simeon L. Nickerson and John F. Glass Jr. 

The local American Legion post was named for Nickerson as was Nickerson Avenue. The Veterans of Foreign Wars post and the John F. Glass Square were named for Glass. Both of these veterans were killed in action in France.  

This year Middleborough will not have a Veterans Day Parade due to the limited personnel resources of the local police department. 

The department is having to learn how to live with the December 2020 Massachusetts Police Reform Act that has police training requirements that make it impossible for cities and towns in the state to have auxiliary police forces, according to Paul Provencher, a member of the Middleboro Veterans Day Parade and Cemetery Committee. 

Historically it has been the Middleboro auxiliary police that were called upon to do detail work such as parades and ceremonies around town, Provencher said. 

An American Legion poppy drive will be held through Nov. 11. Members of Middleboro’s Simeon L. Nickerson American Legion post will be out and about selling poppies. Proceeds benefit the post relief fund to help out local veterans in need and their families, 

A flag retirement ceremony will be hosted by the Oak Point Veterans Association at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 26 at the Oak Point club house, 202 Oak Point Drive. 

This ceremony features a formal flag folding, rifle salute and the playing of “Taps.’’ After the ceremony,  those in attendance will be able to bring the flags needing to be retired to the burn pits in the parking lot. This ceremony shows the proper way to dispose of old flags.