NEW CANAAN, Conn. The Memorial Day program at New Canaan High School will be a bit louder this year: A military helicopter will be part of the festivities.
The New Canaan Board of Education voted unanimously Monday to approve a request to allow a Marine CH-53 to land on the high school campus May 25. Resident Boyd Harden, a former Marine helicopter pilot, proposed the idea to add to the high schools annual symposium on U.S. military history.
Im as excited as anyone will be in this town, but I also have a great deal of awareness and respect for this event I hope you will endorse, said Harden, who is also a New Canaan High graduate.
Traffic along Farm Road will be blocked off for the five minutes when the chopper arrives between 9:45 and 10 a.m. and when it departs between 2 and 2:15 p.m. Students may also get the chance to see the chopper up close.
A reverse 911 call will alert residents about the chopper landing, Harden said.
This is going to be a very exciting and valuable activity for our students at the high school, Superintendent of Schools David Abbey said.
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