Find Help and Hope at the Melrose Veteran Services Office

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Let the healing begin with us.
In This Issue
Melrose Veterans Memory Project Sparks Connections Across the
Generations
Find Help and Hope at the Melrose Veterans Affairs Office
FAQ: "Can I Move My Prearrangement From One Funeral Home
to Another?"
Find Help and Hope at the Melrose
Veterans Affairs Office
FREE Estate Planning Seminar
Looking Forward to Our Annual Coat Drive
Melrose Veterans Memory
Project Sparks Connections
Across the Generations
Little did Ryan McLane know how
describing a grocery store during a
conversation with an Afghan national
would change the course of his life. A
grocery store? What is there to describing a
grocery store? It has food and drinks. You
make a list. You buy the stuff on the list. You
take it home and consume it. End of story. Unless..... you're in Afghanistan. "Miss Lord, did you hear?" "Miss Lord, Irving
died over the weekend!" "Wasn't he the guy that
stormed Normandy Beach on D­Day?" Veterans in the Classroom In 2007, the first Veterans in the Classroom event
was held. WWII veterans, WWII civilians, students
and advisors were all gathered in a room wherer
they could
interact with
each other.
Students were
able to ask
questions and
veterans and
Seminar Tuesday, October 20th, 2015 ­
Reserve Your Seat Today! Gately Funeral Home invites you to
attend a free estate planning seminar
on Tuesday, Oct. 20th, at 1:30 p.m.
at the Milano Senior Center, 201 W.
Foster St., in Melrose. This seminar
will present important information
for seniors and their families,
presented by area experts. Estate planning can seem like a
complicated topic, but it doesn't
have to be. Marie Kirby, Esq., of
Waystack and Kirby Law Offices in
Melrose, will discuss financial and
legal strategies and requirements for
effective estate planning and asset
protection, including wills, trusts,
living wills, and power of attorney
documents. Information about
accessing Medicaid benefits will
also be discussed. Little did Lisa Lord know when she started the
Melrose Veterans Memory Project that she was
helping to bring important parts of history alive for
students in Melrose. Lisa teaches History at Melrose High School and
was concerned when the board instituted a
curriculum change. She asked herself how she was
going to make a study of WWII interesting to today's
high school students. Over the summer, Lord talked
to a friend who flew P­51's during WWII and asked
his advice on making the study interesting. Lisa's
friend started telling his stories and gave her his
journals to read ­ she was hooked! And she knew if
she was hooked, her students would be, too. FREE Estate Planning
Russell Moulaison, brother of Robert Moulaison of
Melrose who was killed in action during the
Korean War, helps the city honor and install the
first only dedicated Korean War Memorial on
Memorial Day, 2015.
In trying to describe what a grocery store is to the
Afghan soldier, Ryan could not help this man get
past the idea that he was not describing heaven. "I
was changed in a deep way by that
conversation," remembers Ryan. "I thought it
was worth helping those people, and realized I
wanted to help people here at home, too." McLane has met men and women from all walks
of life during his military service, which started in
2003 during his senior year at Stone Hill College
in North Easton, MA. "I met soldiers, sailors and
airmen from all over these United States, and
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John Gately, owner and funeral
director at Gately Funeral home,
will present information on
preplanning and personalizing
funerals, including cremation
options. John states, "We are committed to
helping educate families on these
topics because we have witnessed
the difficulties that can occur when
people are not prepared." Having a good estate plan in place
to protect your assets is a gift you
can give to your loved ones, as is
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civilians were
able to share
their stories,
show artifacts
and journals,
and answer the
students'
questions. The
young people
asked
World War II veteran Russell Priestley shares
everything
his story and photographs with students during
from "What the Veterans in the Classroom event.
did you eat in
battle?" to "How did this affect the rest of your
life?" Lisa realized how successful this program has been
when her students were upset at the passing of Irving
Smolens last April. They had developed a
relationship with Irving and other veterans to the
point that these soldiers' stories became a part of
them. The students felt ownership and a
responsibility to preserve these stories and pass
them down to future generations. During the past seven years, the numbers for the
Veterans in the Classroom Project have grown to
over 30 veterans participating. Some of the veterans
are even bringing in Powerpoint presentations and
video clips to share. There is a true bridging of the
gap between generations and both sides of the gap
have had preconceived notions that had to be
discarded. Older veterans have been surprised at the
fact that these young people are truly interested and
involved in the classroom project, and the students
have had a fascination for what
they heard and saw. The project
has grown to include soldiers who
were in Iraq and Afghanistan to
those who have just finished
training at Parris Island, a U.S.
Marine
Corps training facility where
roughly 16,000 Marines pass
Sophomore Jenna
through boot camp every year. listens intently as
Vietnam veteran Jim
Muschett shares his
story.
Operation Trips Middle schoolers began to raise
money in the fall of 2012 to take
veterans on a trip to see the memorial erected in their
honor. They modeled this after the Honor Flight
program, but the actual cost of flying is prohibitive
so the students pay for a bus trip. The Operation
Trips are run out of the Melrose Veterans Affairs
office with the leadership of Ryan McLane, Veterans
Affairs Officer for Melrose, Saugus and Wakefield,
and Bob Driscoll, Advisory Board leader.
Because Vietnam veterans felt unappreciated after
coming home to demonstrations and protests, a
special effort was made to reach out to these
veterans. Through the trip, some have started to
connected and
appreciated. In 2013
a gentleman thought
the trip was the next
step of his healing
process. He sat with
group after group of
students, incredibly
those men and women chose to serve for hundreds
of different reasons." While in Afghanistan,
McLane was on a secure airbase when he saw two
figures run through the gate. It turned out to be
two little girls around the ages of four and six,
who were risking their safety to comb through the
base's trash for food. When the soldiers realized
what they were doing, they loaded them up with
good food instead of refuse to take back to their
family. Ryan made the connection that he wanted
to help back home. Men and women were
willing to risk their live so others could have a
better life, and he wanted those same men and
women to have better lives, too. making your funeral plans in
advance. Make sure to get the
information you need to do this and
get all your questions answered by
attending this free seminar. Please call 781­665­1949 to
reserve your seat for this free, no­
obligation seminar. All attendees
will receive a free planning guide.
Refreshments will be served. Ryan has been with the Melrose Veteran's Affairs
Office as District Director since 2011. His
primary job is to provide financial assistance to
veterans and their families and widows who live
on or near the federal poverty line. He helps them
supplement their incomes to improve their quality
of life. During the course of the interview for this
article, McLane repeatedly stated that he sees
himself as an administrator who helps programs
move along. He maintains that the community is
the driving force behind all that his office does ­
he just metes out their wishes. His office locates
veterans in need of services and runs the programs
that the community wants. Veterans Mobile Food Market The Veterans Mobile Food Market is a major
avenue to helping local veterans. This program is
responsible for distributing Students and veterans from the Korean War era
take a picture in front of the National Korean War
monument in Washington DC as part of Operation
Remember. food from the Greater Boston Food Bank. Mobile
food markets help supplement the food available
at local food pantries, allowing families to stretch
their monthly food budgets. Many veterans are in
need of support during these difficult economic
times and this program helps them feed
themselves and their families. Any veteran or
family member can come to receive food on a
monthly basis, including fresh seasonal produce.
No proof of income is required ­ the only
requirement to participate is that the recipient is a
veteran or family member. Call us to request a free copy of our
informative planning guide
LOOKING
FORWARD TO OUR ANNUAL
COAT DRIVE! The Veterans Mobile Food Market is available
the third Wednesday of every month. Please
call 781­979­4186 to get more information on
locations and times. Operation Trips Operation Trips are a joint effort to allow veterans
and a guest to visit the memorial dedicated to the
war in which the veteran served. Middle school
students in Melrose have been raising funds for
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Notice the days getting
progressively shorter? Feeling a
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nervous at first, but
then settled in and
shared his story and
his Purple Heart. He
believes his healing
happened in part
because he found a
safe place to share
his experiences. Lisa Lord is
Local veteran Bernie Wideman shows
students a picture of the ship he served
incredibly
appreciative of the aboard when he was in the Navy during
the 2014 Veterans in the Classroom
citizens of Melrose. event.
"The Melrose
community is a phenomenal supporter of
veterans", states Lord. "Veterans feel a sense of
love and appreciation in Melrose and I couldn't
be happier for them." Upcoming Event This year's Veterans in the Classroom event will take
place on Wednesday, October 28th at Melrose
Memorial Hall, 590 Main St, in Melrose. Starting
time is still to be determined. If you are a veteran or
know a veteran that would like to participate, sign­
up can be done by emailing melroseveteransme
moryproject@yahoo.com. Other activities include making and sending holiday
cards to veterans at the VA and at the Chelsea
Soldier's Home. The students also send care
packages to deployed men and women, always
sending to local soldiers when possible. Get Involved! For citizens that want to get involved, joining events
as participants is at the top of the list. It is of utmost
importance for veterans to have support at the events
that honor them. If you know a veteran that has not
participated in Veterans in the Classroom, you could
encourage them to become a part of that important
program and share their story. Artifacts that might
otherwise be lost can be donated and therefore
preserved through this project. Keep up with the Melrose Veterans Memory Project Follow the latest happenings by keeping in touch
with the Melrose Veterans Memory Project on our
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/melrose
veteransmemoryproject or on Twitter@ Melrose
VetsProj. Two websites are dedicated to this project: www.
melrose­veterans­memory­project.org and www.melroseveteransmemoryproject.shutterfly.com.
Both sites are full of information and photos of a c t
invities involving the students and veterans. Please remember to tell any veterans you know
about the Melrose Veterans Memory Project and
make sure to show your appreciation for their service
by attending all veterans events in Melrose! these trips since 2012. They are important
intergenerational events, remembering
generations that have passed and honoring the
service and sacrifice of men and women serving n
the armed forces. Previous trips include:
Operation Resolve (WW2), Operation Thank
You (Vietnam War), Operation Gettysburg ­
allowing modern day veterans to honor Civil
War Veterans, and Operation Thank You
(Korean War). These trips allow veterans to see
the monuments associated with their years of
service. How Can You Help? When asked what kind of volunteer work is
needed from the community of Melrose,
McLane responded that while people can
always help set up and distribute food for the
Veterans Mobile Food Markets, the absolute,
single most important thing needed is for
community members to attend local veterans
events.
Participating in the placing of wreaths on
Memorial Day or being part of the crowd
in dedicating new
memorials like the
Korean War
Memorial that was
unveiled this past
May is a boon to local
veterans. They need
to see the
appreciation for their
years of dedication
and service. Veterans
Bags prepared for distribution
tend to wear their
as part of the Melrose Veteran
uniforms and take
Mobile Food Market. great pride in these
community events, and unfortunately they can
internalize low turnouts. Nobody wants to see that
happen. so make sure to come out and show your
support! little nip in the evening air? These
are reminders of the changing of the
seasons, and at Gately Funeral
Home, it reminds us that the time
for our annual coat drive is quickly
approaching. Throughout the months of
November and December, Gately
Funeral Home encourages area
residents to bring their clean,
gently­used winter coats to their
location at 79 West Foster Street
in Melrose. A collection bin is
again placed in the lobby past the
front doors. "We never fail to be
astounded by the generosity of
Melrose and the surrounding
communities," says John. "It is our
privilege to facilitate such good­will
to those who need a helping hand
this season." Coats of all sizes and styles are
needed and will be distributed
amongst local shelters. What a
wonderful way to start out the
holiday season, by sharing our good
fortune and being a blessing to our
neighbors in need.
Visit Our Website
www.GatelyFuneralHome.com
Send us an email If you want further information on veterans
services or wish to volunteer, please contact Ryan
McLane at 781­979­4186. You can also visit the
Melrose Veterans Affairs Office website at www.
mwsveteranservices.org. Frequently Asked
Questions
"Can I Move My
Prearrangement From
One Funeral Home to Another?" The simple answer is yes, you may transfer
your pre­arrangement to another funeral
home any time you wish. Most often, when
you pre­arrange and pre­fund a funeral, you
feel very sure that your plans won't change.
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The laws in Massachusetts that
control prepaid funeral contracts
purchased through a funeral home
are very stringent and are designed
to protect the consumer When you
make prearrangements and choose
to pay for them in advance, any
funds used to purchase your prepaid
funeral were placed in the hands of
a legally approved third party, and
the money remains in their care until
you cancel the contract or the
contract is fulfilled. You should
receive paperwork showing exactly
where the funds have been
deposited on your behalf. Upon
death, the funds can only be
released to the funeral home that
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MVMP students and board members pose with Barbara and
Michael Buggy, after their company presented a donation check
to cover the cost of MVMP's 501 (c)(3) application fee. However, sometimes the funeral home you
chose changes ownership or the staffing
changes; other times your family residence
may change, or you develop a relationship
with a funeral home e is never any additional
fee for doing this. that you feel more
comfortable with. If this is the case, just call
the funeral home you prefer and they will
help you transfer the account. At Gately
Funeral Home we will
review the
circumstances with
you and help you
make the
arrangements you
prefer. There is
never any additional
fee for doing this.
actually performs the funeral
services. A contract can be easily transferred
whenever it needs to be, whether
that is before or after a death occurs.
If you have questions about doing
this, please contact us and we will
be able to assist you. "We will make
all of the arrangements in order to
transfer the contract," assures John
Gately. "We handle all the
paperwork and make sure that the
entire process is smooth and easy."
Please feel free to contact John at
781­665­1949 to get more
information. Since 1889 the firm of Gately Funeral Home has been dedicated to providing the people of Melrose and surrounding communities funeral services unsurpassed in quality and caring. We thank you for your continuing support. It is our honor to assist your families in times of need. Let the healing begin with us. Contact Info
For more information about the articles in this issue of Gately Community Connections or to contribute to a future issue, contact John Gately at info@gatelyfh.com or by phone at 781­665­1949. Gately Funeral Home is located at 79 West Foster Street, Melrose MA 02176.
Gately Funeral Home | | gatelyfuneralhome@comcast.net | http://www.gatelyfuneralhome.com
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