Hometown Heroes book signing/sales April 9
PUTNAM — The American Legion will hold a fund-raiser book signing event from 6 to 8 p.m. April 9 in the Putnam Town Hall, Room 201.
Putnam’s Mayotte-Viens Post #13 of the American Legion has embarked on a “novel” approach to fund-raising – through book sales. Although it doesn’t involve selling books in the literary genre of novels – it does involve selling books of the historical genre.
According to Post #13 Commander Michael Rocchetti: “We are publishing a series of local history books called ‘Hometown Heroes of the Quiet Corner.’ These books will chronicle the service and sacrifice made by members of our community in all wars and conflicts of the United States”.
One of the core values of the American Legion, as stated in the preamble to its constitution, is to “preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in all wars.” Rocchetti said, “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 our community.” He added, “This series of books will serve that purpose – it will preserve the memories of our veterans”.
All proceeds from the book sales will help fund American Legion scholarships, youth programs, Boy’s State, Girl’s State, American Legion baseball, veterans-in-need, Americanism initiatives, and other programs which directly benefit the local community.
Post #13’s first book has been completed (written by Michael Rocchetti) and self-published. It is the “Civil War Edition – 2025 Volume 1”. It consists of 200 pages with the complete service records of approximately 1,000 local men from Putnam, Pomfret, Woodstock, and Thompson, who served in the Army and Navy during the Civil War. It also has in-depth profiles of more than 50 of these men who were very prominent in our community. The book has been endorsed by local civic leaders including Barney Seney, Chandler Paquette, Maureen Nicholson, and Amy St Onge. It has been endorsed by the National Commander of the American Legion – James LaCoursiere, and it has also been endorsed by Major General Francis Evon – the commander of the CT National Guard.
Where to find it: There will be a book signing event at the Putnam Town Hall, Room 201, from 6 to 8 p.m. April 9. There will also be a presentation and book signing at the Danielson Veterans Coffeehouse breakfast May 27 at the Putnam Elks. The book will be sold by American Legion members during local events. The book can also be purchased at the Wolperdinger Bookends Bookstore in downtown Putnam (Montgomery Ward building).
Rocchetti said: “The next in this series will be published soon and it will be called “Volume 2 – 2025, the World War II Edition”. This book will include in-depth profiles of more than 100 men from Putnam, Pomfret, Woodstock, Thompson, Killingly, Brooklyn, and Eastford who died during WWII.”
Future volumes will include other veterans. If you would like to nominate a local veteran for inclusion in a future volume, please contact the Mayotte-Viens Post #13 at
.