Soldier's Home In Holyoke To Livestream Memorial Day Services

HOLYOKE, MA — Memorial Day is typically a solemn holiday at the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, but this year will be even more somber as the home takes its commemoration virtual due to the coronavirus. On Friday, the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke will livestream a series of Memorial Day events on its Facebook page, starting at 5 p.m.

The Holyoke home is following the Soldiers' Home in Chelsea, which also livestreamed commemorative events on Thursday. Towns and veteran's organizations across the Commonwealth are forced to gather virtually this year as the risk of spreading the coronavirus keeps people from gathering in groups.

The virtual aspect of this year's ceremony isn't the only dark cloud hanging over the nursing home — the Holyoke home has been identified as one of the deadliest outbreaks of COVID-19 in the country. As of the beginning of May, at least 71 veterans have died due to the virus and 80 veterans and 81 employees have tested positive.

The Soldiers' Home in Holyoke did not explicitly say there would be a specific event dedicated to the veterans who died from coronavirus. An Associated Press photographer created a project to honor those who died — the photo project was projected on buildings at the facility earlier this month.

You can watch the livestream for the Holyoke events below: