Thursday, November 21, 2019
www.berlincitizen.com
Volume 22, Number 39
Veterans honored with day of events
HERO BOXES
By Devin Leith-Yessian The Citizen
Berlin High School recognized the contributions and sacrifices that generations of veterans have made with a ceremony marking Veterans Day on Monday, Nov. 11.
Isabella Gregor puts gifts into a care package during Hero Boxes’ annual packing day on Nov. 9 at the New Britain Veterans of Foreign Wars. Photos by Devin Leith-Yessian, The Citizen
Nonprofit sends 100s of packages to soldiers overseas By Devin Leith-Yessian The Citizen
So many volunteers contributed to Hero Boxes this year that the non-profit was able to pack over 100 more care packages than expected for soldiers serving overseas. "Originally we were supposed to pack 500 boxes, but because of the outpouring of love from our community, we packed 607," said Berlin resident Karen Cote, who started Hero Boxes after sending care packages to her son’s unit while he was stationed in Kuwait in 2015. Nearly 1,000 volunteers came to VFW Post 511 in New Britain on Saturday, Nov. 9 to pack the boxes.
Nine soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan will receive the boxes to distribute across their units. Cote mentioned one of the volunteers, Berlin resident Lori Clayette, whose son Peter Clayette is serving in Afghanistan. Lori Clayette came to the non-profit’s seasonal headquarters at 1041 Farmington Ave. in tears, speaking about how much the support means to her family. She told Cote she hears gunfire in the background when her son calls home. "We have our young men and women serving over there and they're in danger,” Cote said. ”They're away for the holidays and it's brutal. I
Bradford Parsons, of VFW Post 10732, said each year the post works with the school to find a theme for its Veterans Day program, with this year’s being the Vietnam War, primarily the Tet Offensive.
"The town of Berlin did not go unscathed during "On this Veterans Day, this period. We had three Americans are aware of casualties during the Vietcurrent military engagenam conflict," Parsons ments around the world said. " … these are three and of the sacrifice from residents that went forour soldiers. Young Ameri- ward from Berlin, much cans have died protecting the same, through Berlin our freedom. They died in High School and onto the distant lands to fight terservice and performed duror, to advance freedom ty.” and to protect America. Those soldiers who reThey did not live to be turned home from the called veterans, but this controversial conflict nation will never forget didn’t receive the warm their lives of service and all they did for us," Mayor welcome today’s veterans Mark Kaczynski said at the typically can expect. ceremony, held in the school’s auditorium. See Veterans, A4
don't know — I'm not a veteran, I was never a soldier — but I know as a mom what it was like for my son to be away during the holidays." Volunteers arriving at the VFW on Nov. 9 were greeted by active duty soldiers, handed a box to fill with supplies, and channeled along the walls to collect items for their boxes from tables with things like chips, socks, drink enhancers and protein. Cote and volunteers spent weeks collecting donations. Vietnam veteran Don Austin said it was overwhelming for him to see the support for today’s soldiers, compared See Packages, A14
Bradford Parsons, right, of Berlin Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10732, salutes during the playing of the National Anthem at Berlin High School on Nov. 11. Photos by Devin Leith-Yessian, The Citizen