Tolland Teens Sing at Memorial Day Services

Even at the age of 15, it won’t be the first time that Amanda Danielson performs in front a large audience when she sings at the Memorial Day services.

Most recently, she sang at the Tolland High School lacrosse game as well as at held before the community’s first budget vote earlier this month.

“I just really love to sing,” Danielson said recently. “Ever since I was little I did plays and stuff at the Community School for the Arts.”

Danielson began taking voice lessons at 11-years-old and has been involved in chorus regularly.

“I definitely want to keep singing in my life in some way, shape or form,” Danielson said, but she has no concrete plans for the future aside from belting out “America the Beautiful” for residents at this year’s Memorial Day observance.

This Sunday, the town will host its 20th annual Memorial Day Parade and Service, the largest community gathering of the year.

This year’s parade will feature the 1st Company’s Governor’s Horse Guard, Manchester Regional Police and Fire Pipe Band, The Nathan Hale Fifes and Drums and the Tolland Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 241. The Tolland High band and numerous civic, church and youth groups will join local businesses to take part in the parade. Floats in the parade will compete for prizes.

The theme of the event this year is “Honoring Our Heroes.”

The parade will begin at 1 p.m. and travel along Route 74 and the Historic Tolland Green before taking a right down Old Post Road and ending at the Tolland Intermediate School.

According to Tolland’s Permanent Celebration Committee secretary, Kate Farrish, the best place to watch the parade is from the green. To get this coveted location, you have to arrive early because people usually start to show up by 11 a.m.

“It’s a nice, historic place,” Farrish said.

A solemn ceremony will follow with Veteran Alan Nolan serving as the master of ceremonies. The service will feature a memorial prayer from the Rev. Judith Medeiros from United Congregational Church of Tolland, the high school band under the direction of Megan Kirwin, the fife and drum corps, the VFW Post and Sir Barry Simons, a Tolland resident who will recite “In Memoriam for the Fallen.”

Danielson, along with Kelsey Kaplan, will each sing at this location as well.

Kaplan is a junior at Tolland High School who was featured on stage with B.o.B. at the University of Connecticut, where her father works in the athletics department. She will sing the national anthem, which she regularly performs at UConn basketball games.

Also involved in the parade and ceremony this year will be Tolland Boy and Girl Scouts, who assist the veterans in laying wreaths. A Boy Scout will recite the Gettysburg address, and two Tolland High School band students will play Taps to close the ceremony.