Helen Winkley of North Whitefield, and Jay Howell of Whitefield at the 1996 Memorial Day celebration in Whitefield. Winkley is a Gold Star mother whose son Sean was the only Maine fatality of Desert Storm in 1991. Howell, who died in 2007, conceived the idea of a veterans’ memorial. Photo courtesy of Whitefield Historical Society

The Whitefield Historical Society plans to celebrate Memorial Day at 10 a.m. Monday, May 31, at the town Veterans’ Memorial at 36 Town House Road.

The ceremony will be held outdoors because of CDC safety precautions, and will include the traditional flag raising and songs. This year the program will feature the passing of the Boston Post Cane to Whitefield’s oldest resident.

The Boston Post Cane originated in 1909 when the now defunct Boston Post newspaper, looking for a way to boost readership, distributed walking canes to 700 New England towns. Over the years the tradition has waned in many towns and the original canes lost, but Whitefield still has its original ebony cane. Bill McKeen constructed a replica of the original which is given to the recipient.

As always, refreshments will be served. For more information, call Sue McKeen at 207-446-7473.