In Milton Mills, a reverent celebration

The parade, led by members of the military, crosses Applebee Road from Church Street. Below, Nute eighth-grader Adam Taatjes reads the Gettysburg Address, and the crowd listens later to a speech by his uncle, Scott Taatjes. (Harrison Thorp photos)

MILTON MILLS - It was many years ago that a young Scott Taatjes stood on the library steps in Milton Mills and recited the Gettysburg Address on Memorial Day.

Today it was his nephew, Nute eighth-grader Adam Taatjes, reading the famous speech by Abraham Lincoln honoring the war dead of Gettysburg, the single bloodiest confrontation of the Civil War.

And Scott Taatjes, now a Chief Master Sergeant in the Air Force, recited another speech; only this time it was his own, as the main speaker for Milton’s Memorial Day ceremonies.

A crowd of more than 200 gathered under sunny skies in Milton Mills today to listen to Scott Taatjes and to pay somber tribute to America’s fighting men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Scott Taatjes, a veteran of both Gulf Wars, recently returned from his latest deployment in northern Afghanistan and told the crowd that Memorial Day was not a day to be sad, but a day to celebrate in somber reverence those who paid the ultimate price for the freedoms we enjoy.

The Rev. Betsy Webber began the ceremony with the Invocation,  followed by the Pledge of Allegiance which was led by Lt. Col. Joe Kenney, a U.S. Marine Reserve and former State Senator.

The Nute High School Band played the National Anthem and later a selection of patriotic songs.

Veterans of all the branches of the military were in attendance and led the parade which wended its way through the tiny village, stopping at the Salmon Falls River bridge to honor Navy Veterans and those lost at sea.

Marchers then made their way to the cemetery for a final tribute, a gun salute and the playing of Taps.

Other parade marchers included the American Legion and VFW posts and Auxiliaries Gold Star Mothers, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, Milton Unicycles, Mary Torr Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution and the Milton Fire Department.

Milton’s American Legion Post 61 Commander Lester McCall led the proceedings and served as President of the Day.

Marshals of the Day were McCall, Milton/Farmington VFW Post 8393 Commander Pete Hayward, and Union/Sanbornville VFW Post 7663 Commander Fred Gulbrandsen.