The Berlin
Cit itiz ize en Volume 13, Number 47
Berlin’s Only Hometown Newspaper
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Lions donate gazebo Vets, ‘unsung heroes’ honored By Olivia L. Lawrence Associate Editor The Berlin Lions Club will donate a gazebo to the Berlin Veterans Memorial Park. The gift was announced and approved at the Nov. 10 Town Council meeting. “This is a wonderful outpouring of support from The Lions,” said Mayor Adam Salina. The veterans park (originally Town Center Park) has encountered a shortfall in funds and this donation will help with that gap. “The Berlin Lions stepped forward.” The town will provide the base of the gazebo and the Lions Club will purchase the gazebo and erect it on the site. The Lions will purchase a structure 30 feet in diameter instead of the originally planned for 24 feet. That will make the gazebo “big enough to have events there,” Salina said. That was one of the goals of the park;
to make it a destination for events. The gazebo will be a Jefferson model which is manufactured by the Absolutely Amish of New Holland, Pa. Lions President Glenn Glatz made a presentation in regards to the gift and explained why the Lions wanted to be part of the veterans’ park. He said the Lions name is an acronym that stands for “Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nations Safety.” On another matter, Councilor Robert McGee received approval to approach the Veterans Commission with his idea to fly a MIA/POW (missing in action; prisoner of war) flag beneath the American flag at Paper Goods Pond. McGee said those soldiers whose whereabouts remain unknown should have ongoing recognition, too. He said, for example, there are still 70,000 troops who served in World War II who remain missing.
Get connected to BPD Nixle program offers alerts By Olivia L. Lawrence Associate Editor Residents who really want to know what’s going on in their neighborhoods will want to take advantage of a new community information service offered by the Berlin Police Department. “In the short time we’ve had it, there’s been amazing feedback,” said Lt. Chris Ciuci, who was instrumental in getting the BPD hooked into the Nixle program. The free service —“the municipal wire” — was launched in late summer and local police are now trying to raise public
awareness about this resource. “It’s immediate notification,” of traffic, crime, emergencies or other safety-oriented news, Ciuci said of Nixle communications. Nixle uses the latest technology to deliver alerts and advisories to individual email or telephones. Just go to the website, www.nixle.com, and register with an email and/or cell phone number to where messages should be directed. Users can request a range of notification options. The service is relatively new; the nationwide roll-out was in 2008. From the Nixle website: See Nixle, page 14
By Olivia L. Lawrence Associate Editor In war there are no unwounded soldiers. - Jose Narosky Veterans Day 2009 was an emotional one for many reasons. The ongoing toll of the
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the tragedy at Fort Hood lay close to the surface; raw reminders of the many ways war destroys. Old soldiers and younger ones stood in solidarity, understanding as only they can, the true price — and
value — of military actions around the globe. Gathered, at the Civil War monument on Percival Avenue, the crowd seemed to collectively hold back tears as the main speaker praised those who served. 1st Sgt. Ben Grainger, a much decorated veteran, who served several tours in Iraq among other deployments, paid tribute to his brethren. He recounted what they’d lost in battle, some giving their lives, othSee Vets, page 13
At left, First Sergeant Ben A. Grainger addresses the crowd during a Nov. 11 Veterans Day ceremony. Below, the 1st Co. Governor’s Foot Guard presents the colors at McGee Middle School. Citizen photos by Olivia Lawrence, Marsha Pomponio