Time to throw the flowers in Menemsha. Albert O. Fischer

Friday, May 27, 2016

Marching to the drumbeat of a longstanding Island tradition, students in Edgartown, Chilmark, and Tisbury marched to the sea Friday to scatter flowers in the water in honor of those who died at war.

In Chilmark students gathered at U.S. Coast Guard Station Menemsha, where Coast Guard officers spoke to students and then joined them on the march down to the harbor.

In Edgartown, the birthplace of the March to the Sea tradition, the parade stepped off from Edgartown school with school officials, the police chief and fire chief, veterans, and the baton-twirling club leading the pack.

The parade stopped as flowers were placed on war memorials in front of the court house before continuing to Memorial Wharf. Under blue skies and with holiday traffic filling town streets, a crowd gathered for a ceremony including songs, poems, and a presentation from guest speaker Martin V. (Skip) Tomassian Jr. before seventh graders gathered flowers from the younger classes and tossed the flowers into Edgartown Harbor.

Comments (3)

Ginny Bradley, Durham, North Carolina
The Vineyard should be very proud... May your wonderful Memorial Day tradition continue for years to come.
May 31, 2016 - 5:54am
Jean Ross, Vero Beach, FL and East Chop
Kudos to Jeanna Shepherd for her photos. From a fan.....
May 31, 2016 - 8:49am
Heidi McDonough, Edgartown
Thank You Jeanna Shepard for the wonderful photo's! ~From a baton twirlers Mom
June 2, 2016 - 9:49am

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