Hometown Heroes get honors they deserve

I had been invited to a friend’s home in Massena for lunch a few days later.

I started up Andrews Street and noticed banners hung on street lights as I traveled the length of the street.

While driving, I attempted to read the wording on each banner — but this was difficult.

On Saturday, The Gardener had to make a trip to Massena and I asked if I could ride along.

All I wanted to do was ride in the passenger’s seat as we drove on Main Street.

How grateful I was to be able to see and read each banner on this ride through downtown Massena.

“Massena Proudly Honors” was the wording across the top of each banner with a picture of the veteran or active-duty servicemember filling the area above the name with the branch of service area also listed.

I began to read the names as The Gardener drove:

Donald “Red” McLean, Sandy Romeo, John Kelly, Thomas Love II, Connor Paquin, Tony D’Arienzo.

I tried to write some names for remembering but was unable to record a full listing of those I saw on Saturday.

I wanted to learn more about this marvelous tribute so began to search our news links on NNY360.com.

Courier Observer reporter Bob Beckstead had written a wonderful article in December describing the recently approved project, which would honor Hometown Heroes.

“We really need to be honoring our military heroes,” Nicole Ashley, whose son is a Marine and who is one of the organizers of this project, said in the December article.

Also on the committee are Martha Slack, Patricia Murphy and Chad Simpson.

The initial idea for the Hometown Heroes initiative was to recognize veterans, but the organizing group decided active-duty members should also be included.

The “hero” must be currently serving, honorably discharged, retired or deceased and must be a graduate of or have attended Massena High School until serving in the military, it was explained.

The idea was presented to Massena Mayor Greg Paquin who approved the project.

The article said the banners would remain through November.

Ms. Ashley told Bob Beckstead, “We want to include all of our heroes,” adding, “I think it’s really good for the young kids in this town to see history.”

I agree completely.

Not only is it important, though, for our children to see history, but each of us should remember our Hometown Heroes.

My thanks to the committee for working diligently to make sure the Massena Hometown Heroes are remembered.

I would urge each of you to look for these marvelous banners with each one paying tribute to a miliary hero.

Have someone drive you through town so you can read the names and the branch of service they served in as you honor each Hometown Hero.

With Memorial Day just a few weeks away, this would be a perfect time to read each name and pay tribute to the service of each on a banner.

I would urge other towns to also pay tribute.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see banners flying in tribute throughout the north country?

I certainly think so.

BOMBAY SALE

A reminder of the Bombay townwide garage sale this coming weekend.

The weekend sale is sponsored by the Bombay Historical Society and will be held Friday through Sunday at the Bombay Recreation Park Pavilion.

Besides the garage sale items available, I have learned there will also be a pulled pork dinner available.

Circle the date and plan to stop at the pavilion and garage sales throughout the town.

CLASS IN HAPPINESS

This weekend, NBC News anchor Willie Geist told viewers about a high school class in Needham, Massachusetts, which teaches happiness.

The class was instituted after sobering statistics were released, which announced that a high percentage of teens were suffering from sadness.

The statistics featuring today’s teens were concerning and saddened me as well.

I support any efforts to assist our young people in enjoying a lifetime of happiness.

I am concerned, though, about efforts to “teach” happiness in a class titled “The Science of Happiness.”

For me, happiness is something that is experienced, not taught.

I personally experience happiness or joy as I visit with a friend who has invited me for lunch at her Massena home.

What joy as I entered her home and saw a table set with the most beautiful blue willow dishes and enjoy her visit and delicious lunch.

I experience joy with the delivery of flowers from a neighboring florist and place lilacs picked from our backyard lilac bush (picked by The Gardener for sharing) in a vase that was once a vase my mother used.

There is joy with a FaceTime call from our grandchildren and telephone calls from grown sons and texts with the warmest of wishes.

And what happiness a card from a dear friend means.

The card signed by “Your friend” touched my heart and yes brought joy.

There is joy as a friend’s canine friend lays her head on my lap and a friend of perhaps a year shared a warm hug on a Saturday with wishes of a wonderful Mother’s Day.

What a joy!

There was joy, too, this week when a faithful column reader and friend sent a text complete with a photo of new photo albums she no longer needed or wanted.

Was I interested in using these albums, she asked after reading last week’s column.

What fun and what joy!

I would love to have each teen experience joy.

I would love to walk with them through our yard and see the beauty of flowers, the parent Eastern phoebes nesting by our back door and perhaps visit while enjoying a s’more made over a fire.

I believe in education and in the benefits of learning.

But at least for this columnist, happiness is one subject that needs to be experienced.

Hopefully you will have the opportunity to be in touch with a teen this week.

Share your joy with them, and experience joy together.

And as they experience your happiness and joy, they hopefully will have learned true happiness.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

“Good coffee is a pleasure; good friends are a treasure.”

— Anonymous