Cape Girl

Looking back: Sandwich remembers Memorial Day

I love the Cape and I love living in Sandwich, MA. I am always looking for the next best thing when it comes to preserving the romance and history of Old Cape Cod.

I've been coming to the Cape my whole life, spending every summer at my parent's cottage on Ellis Landing in Brewster. My husband and I were married in 1996 at Northside Church and had our reception at Ocean Edge, both in Brewster. We moved here permanently 10 years ago, settling in Sandwich. We have 3 young children, all lucky enough to be born here, (thus making them "Native Cape Codders").

My husband is always telling me that our kids have no idea how lucky they are to live the life they have. We live in Sandwich Village, which in itself is pretty great. But we don't live on Old Main Street, or in one of those fabulous old sea captain mansions that surround the neighborhood. In fact, the houses on our street (all 10 of them) were built after 1960. So not particularly historic!

The reason we think our kids are so lucky, is because they get to grow up in a real-life Norman Rockwell painting. From our house our kids can (and do) walk to school, the ball fields, a tennis court, the library, all the downtown musueums, the boardwalk and Town Neck beach.

A little over a month ago we anxiously awaited the arrival of Memorial Day. Not just because it marks the 'official' start of Summer on the Cape, or because it means a day off from school and work, but because we get to witness American pride at it's best: The Sandwich Memorial Day Parade.

Everyone loves a parade, but I think Sandwich does it best. The Memorial Day parade in Sandwich is steeped in tradition, rich in pomp and circumstance, and offers just enough candy-throwing to generate squeals from the little ones!

With our nation still at war, marking a National holiday such as Memorial Day takes on added significance. Listening as the school band plays God Bless America; Watching the wreths being placed at each of the war memorials; Feeling the reverberation in your chest during the 21 gun salute; And tasting your first mini Tootsie Roll of the season. These are all of the sensory experiences we anticipate and enjoy each Memorial Day in Sandwich.

The parade in Sandwich certainly isn't the largest Memorial Day parade in Massachusetts, and probably isn't even the smallest, but it's got heart. The citizens of Sandwich who come out each Memorial Day to witness this annual march are not only honoring the men and women who bravely served our country, but are also preserving their memory and history for generations to come.