Veterans Park: Final ‘cemetery’ pavers go in
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — About 700 more pavers joined the Veterans Park Court of Honor last week. A small strip remains and when that is filled there were be about 5,000 pavers surrounding the American flag in the park.
A good number of the 700 pavers installed May 7 were the pavers that honored veterans in St. Mary’s Cemetery, according to organizer Robert Challinor. The Veterans Advisory Committee researched and then purchased a paver for every veteran in every cemetery in Putnam. The St. Mary’s pavers, 604 of them, were the last of the cemetery pavers installed. “Because we raised extra money, we were able to do pavers for all the veterans in all the cemeteries,” Challinor said.
Orders for pavers may be made through the town’s VAC. Generally, the pavers are installed in May by the students in the Harvard H. Ellis Tech masonry department. Fourteen or 15 students came to install the pavers.
Department head Elliott Hayden said after the pavers are installed, the students come back to sweep sand into the crevices to “lock” it all together.
Hayden said the winter wasn’t too harsh on the pavers. He said a few on the edges sank a little and they’ve already corrected that.
Challinor said he hopes to have the students come back in the fall install a ramp on the Church side of the white vinyl fence, from the synagogue’s parking lot down into the park. Hayden measured out the pitch a few months ago and Challinor is having a diagram made for presentation to the synagogue for their OK.
Another ramp at the other end, closer to the Quinebaug, will also help those who might need more help getting from the synagogue parking lot to the park.
Looking around the park, Challinor said, At the beginning of the park’s transformation, “It was trench warfare. Now it’s not even the same park.”
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caption, page 1:
Ellis Tech students and teacher/director Elliott Hayden work on installing the pavers at Veterans Park. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page. More photos on page 4. Linda Lemmon photo.
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Hometown Heroes
Corporal William J. Briere – killed in action in Korea
By Michael Rocchetti
The outbreak of hostilities in Korea on 25 June 1950 caught the small U.S. and the South Korean ROK (Republic of Korea) forces by surprise. The North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) crossed the 38th parallel and rapidly pushed the beleaguered U.S. and ROK forces to the southeast tip of the Korean peninsula.
The U.S. Army’s 1st Cavalry Division, was hastily redeployed from Japan to Korea to shore up the defensive perimeter that U.S. and ROK forces established around the coastal port city of Pusan, South Korea. The 1st Cavalry Division, 14,000 strong, successfully held off the NKPA just north of Taegu, and then on September 16, 1950, the 1st CAV went on the offensive. Sadly during this breakout, on September 19, 1950, Corporal William J. Briere, a U.S. Army soldier from Putnam was killed in action. He was hit in the thorax and died instantly.
William J Briere (1927-1950) was born in Putnam CT on 13 Nov 1927, the son of Frank and Laura Briere. He had an older sister, Lillian, and two older brothers, Omer and Edward. He was educated at St. Mary’s School in Putnam. At the age of 17, in 1945, He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force, for three years, and served with the Army of Occupation, in Germany at the end of the war. He then reenlisted in the National Guard, and during the Korean War, was assigned as an Infantryman to “Love” Company L, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He arrived in Korea on Aug. 22, 1950, and was in continuous action against the enemy until his death on Sept. 19, 1950.
Corporal Briere was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the WWII Victory Medal, the Army of Occupation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.
His body was returned to the U.S., and he was buried at the St. Mary Cemetery in Putnam.
Hometown Heroes books can be purchased online at: https://hometown-heroes-of-the-quiet-corner.myshopify.com/ - all proceeds benefit the local American Legion Post. Hometown Heroes is a series published in the Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger with this mission: We owe it to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to make sure that they are never forgotten, and that the memory of their service and sacrifice will forever live on in the hearts and minds of the grateful people of Putnam.
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It’s not magic
Food Share’s ever-widening inspiration
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — Impressive and inspirational.
Likely those were the thoughts from the Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse Food Share visitors from around the state.
Officials from the Midwest Food Bank New England, the Hometown Foundation Inc. and Walmart said they were amazed by the scale and the organization of the Coffeehouse’s Food Share.
And even a single veteran is impressed and plans to return. Food Share organizer Bruce Hay said he was dropping some stuff off at the famers market pavilion (where the Food Share is held on the first Thursdays of the month) and met a veterans from Plainfield. He asked Hay, “Can I volunteer?” Absolutely. Hay said he saw that veteran at the May 7 Food Share and he said to Hay, “I can’t believe what you’ve got going on here. I’ll be back.”
National groups were also impressed. Marchelle Savage, manager of the Brooklyn Walmart, said she and her crew of volunteers will be coming back to volunteer. May 7 was their first visit to help and she said it’s their goal to try to do this every month. Samantha Hart, the Putnam Walmart manager, agreed. Savage said at the beginning of every year stores are asked about the services important to their communities and Walmart corporate supports that. Savage said that veterans and seniors are an important part of the community.
Outreach is key. “We’d like people to realize that we’re (Walmart) just not brick and mortar.”
Hart said “The best part about being a store manager is being able to give back to the community and help out organizations and support them because that’s what we’re here for.”
And the Walmart contingent enjoyed one of the Food Share traditions — Coney dogs from Nikki’s Dog House. Each month Nikki’s Dog House brings Coney dogs for all the volunteers.
In addition, Hay said Walmart gave them tax free cards. This will allow them to save on taxes when they are buying food for their Tuesday veterans breakfasts.
Meghan Sullivan from Hometown Foundation Inc. visited and was also impressed. That organization gives the Coffeehouse the turkeys for its Turkey Food Share in November.
Midwest also had several representatives there. Aaron Patterson, Development manager, said: “In 2025 Midwest Food Bank New England 157,530 pounds of free food (valued at $679,014) to the Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse group.” He added “If folks ever want to volunteer here, donate (we’re privately funded), or point us to food that should be rescued, they can contact us at https://midwestfoodbank.org/locations/new-england/. They are also looking for drivers.
The May 7 Food Share included: Black beans, sweet potatoes, bananas, kale, shallots, salmon, chicken soup, bags of fruit, donuts, pears, salad, soda, water, canned goods, chips, popcorn, Celsius, quiches, fowl sings, coconut water, mozzarella sticks, macaroni and cheese, baby food, cereal, vitamin water, a small pillow and witch hazel.
Hay said the May 7 Food Share gave out about 300 boxes all together. “More than 30,000 pounds” Whatever is left over went out to the Putnam Elks for their first Saturday Food Share, Brooklyn Cares, TEEG and Sister Jeanine at St. Joseph’s.
It doesn’t happen without the 60 core group of mostly veterans who work each month. “They all know what they’re doing. They dive right in,” Hay said.
*Editor’s note: You think events just appear by magic? No. Behind the scenes are creative, hardworking people you never see who’ve worked relentlessly to make this “magic” happen. It’s not magic.
captions:
page 1:
Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse Food Share May 7. Expanded photo array Wed. night on our FB page. More photos on page 4. Linda Lemmon photo.
page 4:
Top: Korean War era veteran Al Borders is always singing. Middle: Walmart volunteers. Bottom: Special visitors from Hometown Foundation and Midwest. More photo on our FB page Wed. night. Linda Lemmon photos.
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The following charges were listed in the Putnam Police Department logs. The people charged are innocent until proven guilty in court. The Town Crier will publish dispositions of cases at the request of the accused. The dispositions must be accompanied by the proper documentation. The Putnam Police Department confidential Tip Line is 860-963-0000.
April 27
Trevor James Bouchard, 19, Laurel Street, Putnam; violation of protective order.
April 30
Michael Presnell, 64, Woodstock Avenue, Putnam; illegal operation of motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs, drinking while driving.
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