Flags of Newton
Community. The Town of Newton saluted veterans with Flags of Honor at the municipal building this week in honor of Veteran's Day 2019.
| 12 Nov 2019 | 09:48
Flags line the lawn of the Newton Municipal Building as part of a Flags of Honor celebration held ahead of Veterans Day on Saturday, Nov 9, 2019. (
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Deacon Tom Zayac of St. Joseph’s RC Church delivers the invocation at the Newton Flags of Honor ceremony on Saturday, Nov 9, 2019 at the municipal building. Listening are (L-R at rear) Korean War Veterans of America Bugler Michael Delvecchio, American Legion Lt. Charles A. Meyer Post 86 Honor Guard member Antonio Delgado and Newton Town Manager Tom Russo. (
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Veterans and flag sponsors gather to celebrate Flags of Honor at the Newton Municipal Building on Saturday, Nov 9, 2019. (
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Newton Police Department Special Officer Steve Moran plays the bagpipes as part of the Flags of Honor ceremony at the Newton Municipal Building on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. (
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Braving the chilly wind, a few dozen residents, along with veterans, police, and firefighters, attended the first of what Newton hopes will be many Flags of Honor ceremonies. The celebration allowed family members and friends to sponsor a flag in the name of a veteran or service member to be displayed on the lawn of the municipal building. The money raised through the flag sponsorships will be donated to Community Hope, Inc., a non-profit group dedicated to helping homeless veterans find transitional and permanent housing solutions.
Town Manager Tom Russo said he’d seen Flags of Honor celebrated in other towns, and wanted to bring the concept home to Newton. Mayor Helen Le Frois and the council agreed, and on Saturday, Nov 9, 40 flags were dedicated. Le Frois spoke emotionally about being the daughter of a Vietnam veteran.
“When my dad came home, no one thanked him,” she said through tears, “We need to thank our veterans for their service. Buy them that cup of coffee. Shake their hand. Tell them we appreciate them.”
Le Frois said she hopes that they can grow this event every year, to continue to create a “visual expression of our gratitude.”
Each flag on the municipal building lawn bears a tab with the name of its honoree. To view the flags, visit the town hall at 39 Trinity St., Newton.
2019 Flags of Honor Honorees
Michael P. Boynton Robert Carlton William Chymiy Frank DeMauro, Sr.
Allan Doane James Drew Sgt. Gary Emmich Russell English
Robert Gallopo Jacob Kaplan Robert G. Le Frois Carl “Bud” Latham
Jerry Mauro Peter J. McCarthy Russell McCue Peter McFarlane
Jack McGuigan Arthur Nelson William Place Edward Pomerantz
Earl Schick III John Sepe Charles Sills Anthony J. Simos
Sgt. Sara Terrell Frank Thomas Ronald VanHise John Villari
Ed Stickles Dick Wilson Wallace Wirths Staff Sgt. John Sherba
Sgt. 1st Class Lawrence J. Hattersley III Christine C. Robertozzi
Gunnery Sgt. Lawrence J. Hattersley, Sr. Senior Airman Michael Terrell
Army Spc. Jason Hattersley C. Edward McCracken
Staff Sgt. George J. Montalto, Jr. Starling “Rick” Nothstine