A Taps Ceremony Will Be Held In Hopkinton On Sunday

HOPKINTON, MA — A Taps Ceremony will be held on Sunday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m. on the Town Common at the Gazebo.

Don MacNeill, founder of Old Guard New England, said his organization, in conjunction with the American Legion Post 202, have been holding the ceremony every first Sunday of the month, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, but attendance has become sparse.

The Hopkinton Taps Ceremony, which lasts approximately 20 to 30 minutes, includes a presentation on historical topics and/or current military-related events and honoring veterans or service members who have died in the previous month, MacNeill said.

For the Sept. 5 ceremony, when the flag is folded 13 times, instead of explaining the meaning of each fold, the names of each of the 13 service members who died in Afghanistan last month will be read for each fold.

MacNeill said the ceremony is associated with Taps Across America.

TapsAcrossAmerica is an national organization particularly known for promoting the Sounding of Taps on Memorial Day at 3 p.m., according to its Website.