Veterans Project

As a poignant prelude to Memorial Day, an exceptional Veterans project unfolded at the Medway Senior Center yesterday evening. This cherished annual gathering is a collaborative effort between the Medway Council on Aging and Medway High School. The proceedings commenced with a heartfelt introduction from Senior Center Director Courtney Riley. She highlighted the significance of this being the event's 8th year, a tradition initially conceived by outreach worker Marcia Lombardo. This 8th annual commemoration was significant as it marked Marcia's final involvement before her well-deserved retirement.

Marcia Lombardo, the Outreach Worker, expressed her gratitude to the veterans and the students for their enthusiastic participation in the event. She commended the veterans for their openness in sharing their personal stories and thanked the high school students for their eagerness to delve into history. Recognizing the significance of intergenerational interaction, she emphasized how it benefits both the young and the old, fostering mutual learning and understanding.

The National Anthem was sung by Annabella Diamandis and Caitlin McNeil.

Next were the presentations.

• Lt. Jason Brennan—Lt. Brenna had an emergency, so unfortunately couldn't attend the event in person. Annabella Diamandis and Madalyn Marks presented their story. A few highlights from Lt. Brennan's story is that he enlisted in the Army National Guard to help pay for his education at WPI. He was interested in exploring policing. Once he joined the army, he developed a stronger bond with his father, a veteran. He shared that boot camp taught him many life lessons that he still carries today. He spent six months stationed in California in the Mohave Dessert. As a very school-driven individual, he decided to return to school to study legal studies at UMass. Upon graduation, he started his job as a police officer with the Town of Medway. In addition to being a Lieutenant, he is also the IT Director for the Department. Lt. Brennan also serves as the commander of the regional swat team, which supports 50 surrounding towns.
• Mr. Brian O'Donnell—Presented by Matthew Antonuccio, Colin Grimes, Reuben Simon, and Corey Vasko. A few highlights include that boot camp was unforgettable and made Mr. O'Donnell a new man. He also earned his nickname "OD" from the first two letters of his last name. He noted that only 35 out of 65 people graduated from boot camp. While in the Marines, he was deployed to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Korea. In the Philippines, he was overheated, and in Korea, he almost got frostbite - two challenging environments.  He advocates for those affected by cancer as he and many others were exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune.  He loves spending time with his grandchildren.
• Richard Sobounjian - Presented by Annabella DeLuca, Margaret Monaghan, and Zoe Walker. Mr. Sobounjian has a love of history. After graduating high school, he enrolled in the Air Force and was placed in the Communications Division. He attended basic training in Texas and noted that basic training is "tough." He was deployed to Wichita Falls, where he worked in technology. In the five years he lived in Italy, he fell in love and made friends he still has. In 1975, he left the Air Force and went to college. "The best thing I've ever done is join the Air Force." - Richard Sobounjian 
• Paul Lafrate—Presented by Mason White and Madelyn White (his grandchildren). He enlisted in the Naval Academy and was assigned to participate in underwater demolition. Graduating from boot camp in 1970, he was stationed in Long Beach for 1 1/2 years and then spent time in Hawaii, Japan, and Hong Kong.
• Dr. James Suojanen - Presented by Sutton Antonino, Abigail Brown, and Caitlin McNeil. Dr. Suojanen wanted to fly but couldn't because of his glasses (his eyesight). He attended Harvard University to become a doctor. He enlisted in the military because he wanted to give back. He signed a contract saying that the army would pay back his schooling if he gave them four years. He was sent to Kansas to participate in a medical personnel boot camp. There, he encountered 100-degree heat waves. Next, he traveled to England, where he stayed in huts and where ambulances only worked adequately occasionally. When a plane crashed in Scotland, he was sent to help investigate. He served his final years in the military at Langley and got the opportunity to fly fighter jets. He went on to work the rest of his career as a doctor at Brigham and Women in Boston.