Happy 4th of July!

I DO DECLARE!
Town celebrates July 4 with reading of Declaration

Christine Smith Reporter TEMPLETON - On Monday, many people are expected to gather on the town common opposite the First Church of Templeton for the traditional reading of the Declaration of Indepen­dence in honor of the country’s birthday. “It is a rewarding way of spending the Fourth of July,” said organizer Carol Stanley, a member of the First Church parish and resident of the town. “We’re very excited about having it, and it’s fun.” Carol and her husband, Russ, have been behind the annual event for the last six years and the church has been hosting it for the past 12 years. She said it began quite simply, but extras have since expanded the ceremony beyond the reading. It began as the idea of another parishioner in 2005, who had seen it done at another location, said First Church Pastor Bill Ault. The idea quickly took hold and has become a staple service they have provided to the community on the Fourth of July ever since. Each year Brian Wiedle, chairman of the Board of Deacons, researches one of the lesser-known signers of the Declaration of Independence and presents a talk about him during the event. The signer he will highlight this year has not been announced at this point. Led by Pastor Ault, the ceremonies will begin at noon with everyone singing the national anthem. Members of the local scout troop will help recite the Pledge of Allegiance. State Sen. Ann Gobi, D-Spencer, and state Rep. Susannah Whipps Lee, R-Athol, will also speak for a few moments. American Revolutionary War re-enactors from the Hubbardston Militia Company will provide an escort to the town crier and the Declaration of Independence document. The town crier will be portrayed by former state Sen. Stephen Brewer, who will call out “Hear Ye! Hear Ye!” and loudly ring a bell for attention in the traditional fashion. Guest organist Ted Cushing will play “Yankee Doodle” to usher onto the common the 30 people who will be reading portions of the Declaration of Independence. These will include not only church members and residents, but also Gobi and Whipps Lee, Fire Chief David Dickie, Police Chief Michael Bennett and Selectman John Caplis. Soloist Brittany Steward will sing “America the Beautiful” and the church bell will toll in commemoration of the significance of the day. The re-enactors will be on hand during the event for those interested in learning more about the country’s early militia or specifics about the uniforms they wore. In addition, the Stanley family will erect for public viewing two authentic flags from the Revolutionary War era. One dates back to 1775, and was flown by the Culpeper Minutemen, a militia group of Virginia. The flag sports the well-known snake design in the center, with the words “Liberty or Death” at the top and “Don’t Tread on Me” along the bottom. The other is the Guilford Courthouse flag dating to 1781 that had been carried by the North Carolina Militia at a battle that took place at that building during the war. The flag sports 13 blue stars, each with eight points, on a field of white, and stripes of blue and red. The Templeton Country Store will donate ice cream for an ice cream social immediately following the ceremonies. All activities, as well as the ice cream social are free to attendees of the event.