Veterans Day wreath

Darien’s Veterans Day Observance

Come honor the veterans whose efforts, sacrifice and sometimes lives were given to protect you. At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month (Monday, November 11th at 11 a.m.), the Town of Darien will observe Veterans Day in front of the Darien Town Hall in the Veterans’ Memorial Circle. — an announcement from the Darien Monuments and Ceremonies Commission

The Town Monuments and Ceremonies Commission and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Darien Post #6933 will host the event. Monuments and Ceremonies Commission Chairman David Polett will serve as master of ceremonies. The 2019 Presidential proclamation will be read by First Selectman Jayme Stevenson.

Richard Costello

The Late Richard Costello, a Navy Veteran, to be Honored With Street Sign

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The Darien Monuments and Ceremonies Commission is happy to announce that the late Richard F. Costello, longtime resident of Darien, has been recognized as the next recipient of Darien’s Wartime Veteran Street Sign honor. — an announcement from the Darien Monuments and Ceremonies Commission

Costello’s name will be added to an existing street sign in time for Veteran’s Day, 2019. A ceremony and street sign unveiling will be held starting at 12 noon on Sunday Nov. 3 on Moore Street at its the intersection with West Avenue. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

9/11 Memorial Darien

Darien 9/11 Ceremony Starts at 8:30 AM on Wednesday

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The Monuments & Ceremonies Commission of the Town of Darien invites the public, first responders, Town Selectmen, local officials and Middlesex Middle School students, their teachers and administrators to attend the town’s annual 9/11 remembrance ceremony. — an announcement from the Monuments & Ceremonies Commission

Beginning at 8:30 a.m., sharp on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at the 9/11 Memorial located on the grassy area behind Middlesex Middle School on Hollow Tree Ridge Road, Darien’s Monuments and Ceremonies Commission will follow tradition and observe 9/11 with a brief ceremony. Carved into the memorial’s 36- by 75-inch granite stone is the inscription: “May We Never Forget” with the date: “September 11, 2001.” The memorial is flanked by two tall trees symbolizing the twin towers. An Eagle Scout project, the 9/11 Memorial was conceived, funded and installed by then DHS freshman, Josh Doying, who belonged to Boy Scout Troop 53.

Slawson Cemetery Gorman Bell

Photos from Saturday’s Cleanup at Darien’s Old Cemeteries

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Members of Darien’s Masonic Lodge, Ivanhoe Lodge No. 107 partnered with Darien’s Monuments and Ceremonies Commission’s Cemetery Committee and Good Wife’s River DAR Chapter to cut brush, remove debris, rake pinecones, and clean stones at the Slawson Cemetery on Hanson Road. — This article, an announcement from the Darien Monuments and Ceremonies Commission, is written by Karen Pollet. The pictures are by David Polett, chairman of the commission and a member of the Ivanhoe Masonic Lodge in Darien. This cemetery is the resting place of Darien town founder, Thaddeus Bell, his wife and son.

Earth Day Darien

Join Masons in Cleaning Up, Observing Six Rev War, Civil War Darien Cemeteries

The second Annual Darien Earth Day Cemetery Cleanup Day, hosted by the Masonic Club of Darien takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, June 8 (originally scheduled for 4/20). All volunteers are to meet at Ivanhoe Lodge No. 107, 354 Post Road in Darien, at 10 a.m. for instructions and information on the eight cemetery locations around town to be cleaned before being divided into teams.

— an announcement from the Masonic Club of Darien and the Darien Monuments and Ceremonies Commission

Among the cemeteries getting a spring cleaning, including Slawson Graveyard which is the resting place of town founder Thaddeus Bell. Please dress appropriately and bring rakes, gloves and any other tools you have which could be used for blowing leaves or cutting tree limbs. Darien Masons from Ivanhoe Lodge No.

Drop Off Your Old Glories for Respectful Disposing Until Flag Day Ceremony, June 14

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Up until June 14, when a Flag Day ceremony will be held in front of Town Hall, you can drop off your worn and tattered U.S. flags at Darien Library, Town Hall or the VFW Post next to the Noroton Heights Fire Station. Here’s an announcement about the dropoff locations and the event from the Monuments and Ceremonies Commission:

Darien’s Monuments and Ceremonies Commission will partner with Darien’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 6933 to host Darien’s annual Flag Day Ceremony on Friday, June 14 at 4:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Circle in front of Darien Town Hall. Led by M&C Commission Chairman David Polett and VFW Commander Lenny Hunter, veterans and residents will recite the poem,” I Am Your Flag,” as the old flag is retired. State Rep. Terrie Wood is again sponsoring a flag collection to “Retire Your Worn American Flags,” until June 14.

Earth Day Darien

Join Volunteers Cleaning up 6 Darien Cemeteries on Cemetery Cleanup Day

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The second Annual Darien Earth Day Cemetery Cleanup Day (originally scheduled for April 20 but postponed due to the weather), hosted by the Masonic Club of Darien takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, June 8. CORRECTION: The original announcement had a misspelling in the email address below, now corrected: Charity@DarienMasons.com. — an announcement from the Masonic Club of Darien

All volunteers are to meet at Ivanhoe Lodge No. 107, 354 Post Road in Darien, at 10 a.m. for instructions and information on the eight cemetery locations around town to be cleaned before being divided into teams.

— an announcement from the Masonic Club of Darien and the Darien Monuments and Ceremonies Commission

Among the cemeteries getting a spring cleaning, including Slawson Graveyard which is the resting place of town founder Thaddeus Bell. Please dress appropriately and bring rakes, gloves and any other tools you have which could be used for blowing leaves or cutting tree limbs.

Letter letters

Letter: Monuments and Ceremonies Commission Thanks Memorial Day Participants

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To the editor:

The Darien Monuments and Ceremonies Commission would like to thank all who participated in the Memorial Day Ceremony at Spring Grove Veteran’s Cemetery. These include the Rev. Monsignor Edward R Surwilo for his always inspiring Invocation and Benediction, and our Grand Marshal Patricia Parlette for her shining example of positive thinking and good cheer. Bruce Sargent for the loan of his pristine 1953 Packard Caribbean convertible to drive Ms. Parlette down the Post Road. Our speaker, Matt Pavia, delivered a wonderful speech which served to make relevant the sacrifices made by those who died for our country. Rhea Bhat, senior girl scout and Tate Hanson, senior patrol leader of the Boy Scouts presented the Gettysburg Address and General Logan’s Order No.

Earth Day Darien

Clean Up Day for Six Historic Darien Cemeteries MOVED TO SATURDAY, JUNE 8

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Originally scheduled for this Saturday, April 20, the second annual Darien Cemetery Clean-Up-Day, hosted by the Masonic Club of Darien has been postponed to June 8, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

All volunteers are to meet at Ivanhoe Lodge No. 107, 354 Post Road in Darien, at 10 a.m. for instructions and information on the eight cemetery locations around town to be cleaned before being divided into teams.

— an announcement from the Masonic Club of Darien and the Darien Monuments and Ceremonies Commission. Among the cemeteries getting a spring cleaning, including Slawson Graveyard which is the resting place of town founder Thaddeus Bell. Please dress appropriately and bring rakes, gloves and any other tools you have which could be used for blowing leaves or cutting tree limbs. Darien Masons from Ivanhoe Lodge No.

Pat Parlette Wreaths Across America 9-28-16

Grand Marshal, Speaker Announced for This Year’s Darien Memorial Parade and Ceremony

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This year’s Memorial Day Parade Grand Marshal will be Darien resident Pat Parlette, and the speaker at the day’s annual ceremony will be Matt Pavia, a Darien High School teacher and author, the Darien Monuments and Ceremonies Commission has announced. The commission also announced that organizations and groups participating or wishing to participate in the parade on May 27 need to update their contact information with the commission. Pat Parlette and Matt Pavia
Pat Parlette, now in her 90s is a longtime town resident who has been an active volunteer in several town organizations. She’s also no stranger to Darien events involving veterans. In 1943, as the first girl drum major in the Darien High School band, she was part of the band’s salute to departing World War II recruits at Darien railroad station.