Community Corner

Melrose Emblem Club Launches Local "Stars For Soldiers" Project

In an effort to join Mayor Dolan, our Veterans Services Advisory Board and Veterans Service Officer in adopting the 182nd National Guard Unit who will deploy to Afghanistan on March 29th, the Melrose Emblem Club will undertake the Stars for Soldiers project. These citizen-soldiers will be overseas for a year and we want them to know that we are behind them, and their families who will be left behind.

On Wednesday,  Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. at the Melrose Elks Lodge, volunteers will be cutting out embroidered stars from flags ready to be retired, and then putting them in small plastic-envelope type sleeves with a saying. Members of the 182nd Infantry Unit, which is shipping out on March 29 for a , will be presented with the envelopes.

In 2005, a group of interested parties started the "Pease Greeters" program and initiated in this part of the country the Stars for Soldiers project. Originally started in Texas, the Pease, NH group has been greeting troops passing through their airport since then and in October of 2010, they met their 400th group of soldiers. The Massachusetts State Association of Emblem Clubs' 4th Vice President, Phillip Begeal, brought this project to our attention and it seemed so fitting to show our local Army unit how much we appreciate the many sacrifices they make in the name of preserving our freedom.  

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A willingness to help and love of our great country is all that is needed to get this off the ground. Everyone is welcome: come to the Elks (rear of Shaw's Supermarket) and bring a relative, friend or neighbor and accomplish something worthwhile—something that will really make you feel special. We will have what you need to get the job done—just provide us with your enthusiasm and your patriotism! 

Any questions may be directed to marieryan3@comcast.net, or by calling 781-665-8126. Please join our Melrose Emblem Club on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m., at the Melrose Lodge of Elks and make this wonderful project happen!

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