Around Town

LETTER: A Salute to a Local Vet on Vietnam War Veterans Day

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Dear Watertown Residents,

Today, March 29, is Vietnam War Veterans Day. I was informed of this by Tony Kelley last night at the Watertown Town Democratic Committee meeting. Tony is a veteran of the war and luckily came home to build a career and family in Watertown. As a teacher and volunteer for several causes, he has done right by this community in so many ways and continues to do so in his retirement. Bravo! His ask was that people say “Welcome Home” if they see a Vietnam Veteran today. Many have never heard that expression to this day. As the granddaughter of a Russian POW, forced into conscription by the fascist Italian government of WWII, I know from my mother what my grandfather experienced upon his return to “normal” life.

Around Town

2024 Watertown Memorial Day Parade Registration Now Open

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A girl waves the Stars & Stripes as Watertown Fire Department’s mascot rolls by. (Photo Courtesy of Natalie Nigito Photography)

Watertown’s Memorial Day Parade will be held on Monday, May 27, 2024, and organizations can now register to take part in the annual procession. The Watertown Veterans Services Office wrote: “Join with members of your company, organization, neighborhood, friends, and family to participate in the parade!” Those interested in participating must fill out the registration (see below), which must be submitted no later than April 29, 2024. Fill out the registration form and return it marked ‘Memorial Day Parade Registration’ to: The City of Watertown, Veteran’s Services, 149 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472 or email it to: Pgeorge@watertown-ma.gov

Around Town

Watertown Honors the Sacrifices of Veterans During Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony

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Members of Watertown’s veterans groups march during the 2023 Memorial Day Parade. A Watertown veteran who has seen combat first hand shared what Memorial Day means to him at Watertown’s commemoration ceremony after the annual parade. McMaster served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as Vietnam before that. For him, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance and somber. “I was one of the lucky ones who made it home and there were times during the battles I would think, Boy I would love to make it home alive so I could be a veteran and I could march in the parade and I could go to the cookouts and wear my medals and people could thank me for my service,” he said during the ceremony at Victory Field.

Around Town

Watertown Veterans Groups Hosting Poppy Social at Commander’s Mansion

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

The Poppy Social (formally the Poppy Picnic) is now an afternoon open house on Friday, May 26, 2023 from 12:30 – 2:30PM hosted by the Watertown Veterans’ Services at the Commander’s Mansion, 440 Talcott Ave in Watertown. Watertown Veterans, Family and Friends are invited to attend. You’ll have an opportunity to see the second phase of the Freedom Garden which includes engraved memorial bricks. Indoors you’ll be able to watch a streaming of the Watertown Schools Memorial Day performances and presentations and be able to self-tour the Mansion at your leisure. Light refreshments will be served.

Around Town

Our History: Society Works on Veterans’ Grave Registration Project

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Helen Learned’s gravestone in Common St. Cemetery (Photo courtesy of Joyce Kelly)

This article is part of a series on local history provided by the Historical Society of Watertown. It was written by Joyce Kelly, Board member of the Historical Society of Watertown. Joyce writes articles for the newsletter and is the newsletter editor. This was published in our April 2011 newsletter, “The Town Crier.”

In the early 1930s, the American Legion veteran’s organization launched an effort to identify the gravesite of every deceased veteran buried in the United States and create a permanent record.

Around Town

Group that Sends Care Packages to Military Personnel May be Grounded by Change in Mail Rules

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For 20 years, Operation American Soldier has been sending out a piece of home to men and women serving in the U.S. Military overseas from Watertown, but the pipeline of care packages appears to be coming to a sudden halt with a change in rules for shipping packages to military bases. Co-founder Wendy Rocca recently learned that the flat-rate boxes used to send the care packages will soon no longer be available, and the rates will be much higher. “It was $15.30 (per box) at the Christmas-time rush. It was $14 and change for the rest of the year,” Rocca said. “Now we do not have the flat rate.

Around Town

Watertown Putting Together Veterans Day Tribute, See How You Can Contribute

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Veterans Services Office:

Everyone knows a Veteran. Whether it’s your son, daughter, cousin, friend, or neighbor: everyone knows a Veteran. This year, Watertown Veterans’ Services is partnering with The Dorothy and Charles Mosesian Center for the Arts to publicly display everyone’s support for the Veteran in your life. Between Nov. 2 and Nov.

Government

Veterans, Seniors Can Apply for Property Tax Work-Off Program

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The following information was provided by the City of Watertown:

The City is offering the Property Tax Work-Off Program to Watertown homeowners who are Veterans or aged 60 and older. This program allows for up to ten residents a $1,500 deduction from their property tax bill in exchange for 100 to 105 hours of work for a City department, from July 1, 2022 until March 1, (Based on $14.25 (2022) or $15 (2023) per hour State minimum wage for all positions.)

To qualify for consideration, applicants must complete the attached application and be:

• Age 60 or older and Retired; OR a Veteran

• Own and occupy the property for which the taxes are deducted

• Applicant’s skills must match those needed by the participating City departments. Past projectshave included: computer data entry, helping to run Zoom programs, answering phones,administrative tasks and projects for the Library, City Hall, Schools Recreation, Veterans orPublic Health Departments, or for the Senior Center. • The City gives preference to individuals whose annual income is 300% of the 2022 FederalPoverty level or less ($40,770 for single, $54,930 for married couple), and who are new to theprogram, and then other applicants will be considered if slots are available. Copies of most recentincome tax returns will be requested to verify income.