Congratulatory messages to Whitman’s retiring Fire Chief Timothy Grenno were written on a giant send-off banner by fellow firefighters, including Chief Jerome Thompson Jr., of Hanson, front above. State Sen. Michael D. Brady, D-Brockton, presented Grenno with a commendation for his 37 years of service, as Whitman Selectmen Chairman Dr. Carl Kowalski and state Rep. Alyson Sullivan, R-Abington, looked on. See more photos, page 6.   Photos by Stephanie Spyropoulos

After last year’s COVID cancellation, Whitman found that waiting a day due to rain couldn’t put a damper on it’s July 4th celebration in the park Monday, July 5.  Nick Kardoose, left,  director of sports for the Whitman Recreation program cheered on Justin Fisher, 3, of East Bridgewater who had a slow start in the sack race. See more photos, page 6.

Paparazzi  parents, family and friends gathered to photograph the special night for the  eighth-graders on the Hanson Town Green before their year-end dance and dinner at Somewhere Else Tavern, in Bryantville on June 17. See more photos, page 6.

WHITMAN — Pat Tibaudo is not always recognized as a veteran — sometimes even overlooked as such while volunteering during DAV Poppy sales or marching in parades in a VFW uniform. It’s a reason she has a “Woman Veteran” bumper sticker on her car.

It’s not a unique situation, VFW Director of National Security and Foreign Affairs Sarah Maples wrote in an essay in The Atlantic magazine in November 2017.

“Without the uniform, there is no outward indication that these women are veterans, Maples wrote. “Women are often denied recognition for their military accomplishments.”

Far from seeking glory for her own service, Tibaudo is, however, determined that women veterans receive due respect.

She is a 30-year veteran of the U.S. Naval Reserve, deployed to war zones three times, including to Spain in a storekeeper unit in the Supply Support Battalion from 1990-91 during Desert Storm (she also was assigned brief excursions into Kuwait). She was deployed to Iraq in 2006 and in Afghanistan detached to an Army unit as an individual augmentee in charge of training local troops and overseeing a women’s barracks — among a few other jobs — and has served as the first, and so far the only, female commander of the Whitman VFW.

She is currently an adjutant with the Whitman post, joining the organization in 1995.

“I volunteered when they needed people for bingo, when they needed people for color guard,” she said.

The Whitman VFW Color Guard ended up being the state color guard as well as the local unit.

“Every weekend I was marching for something,” she said.

Tibaudo said she stays with the post because there are not enough veterans joining and helping with volunteer projects, such as the Voice of Democracy, right now.

“I just have a good feeling every time I’m doing something,” she said.

Tibaudo is in charge of the  Whitman VFW’s annual Christmas party for Brockton VA patients and volunteers to pack food for veterans at Patriot Place.

She says there is nothing she would do differently, if she had the chance.

“I have no regrets,” she said. “The men are so used to having women now in the military, that it’s no big deal. … We watch each others’ backs, that’s what it comes down to. We’re there for one purpose — the mission.”

Being overlooked is mostly a civilian blindspot.

She relates a story of a time when, wearing a Navy veteran cap, a woman asked who she borrowed it from, assuming the answer would be a husband or male relative.

“I said, ‘It’s mine,’” she recalled. “How many times have people, even in my uniform, have pushed me to the side and thanked the guys?”

Such difficulties with the veterans’ community are rare, Tibaudo stressed, but they do happen. When she returned from Afghanistan, she was awaiting surgery in Virginia and went to a local VFW with a friend and were kicked out.

“I don’t know if they didn’t believe me or not, but I had to leave,” she recalled. “I showed them my regular military ID.”

But, while that can be frustrating, the Avon native, who now lives in Norwood, always had an interest in serving. Her brother was in the Army. While he was at first adamant that she not join the military, he later changed his mind.

“In the end, he ended up being my biggest supporter,” she said. “It’s my way of giving back.”

She was initially drawn to the Navy Reserves in 1979, giving thought to transferring to the Army after her second deployment, but stayed with the Navy, even as she was attached to an Army unit in Afghanistan a “Sand Squid,” as Army personnel called her. She retired from the Navy as a chief. She was working in civilian life as a storekeeper so the Navy assigned her to supply, later called logistics.

During her military career, Tibaudo earned certification for driving an explosives forklift so she could transport ordnance as  supply personnel. She also drove and up-armored Humvee as a lead convoy driver in Iraq on occasion.

“The guys requested me [as a driver], because — one thing about a Humvee, if you take too sharp a turn, it tips over — if you tipped over the gunner’s gone,” she said. “To me, that was precious cargo I was carrying.”

When she joined, she had been divorced with two young children and said the Navy Reserves never saw her status as a single parent a deterrent.

“I just had to make sure that I had somebody, in case I got deployed, that would be responsible for them,” she said.

She has definitely traveled a lot of the globe in 30 years.

“I was one of the lucky ones, I came home,” Tibaudo said, becoming quiet-spoken, as she demurred from going into in detail about her military experiences beyond general job descriptions. “When you sign that piece of paper …” she said, her voice trailing off. She retired from the Navy Reserves in 2010.

She still worked her civilian job as a nursing assistant for the cardiac floor at Brockton Hospital, where she worked for 25 years.

HANSON — Nearly 100 participants registered for the all- ages Fishing Derby held at Cranberry Cove in Hanson on Sunday.

In collaboration with The Rockland-Hanson Rotary Club local family Anthony Grasso and wife Lindsay owners of Anthony Grasso Electric sponsored the event.  The couple assisted in handing out trophies and decorated medals for winners in categories that included:  most fish caught during the event, which was achieved by Joey Hayden, 10, of Hanson and John DeLaney, 14, of Whitman and Noah Studley also of Whitman all the way through to the tiniest catch of the day given to Mason Weckbacher, 5, of and Sophia Maroney, 8, both of Whitman.

The well-attended event drew families as far away as Quincy and was held in ideal weather and two brand new fishing poles went to top winners.

The age groups began from the littlest anglers in pre-K through teens with fishing poles, nets and bait in hand, and lots of sunscreen. The edge of the Cove was decorated with hats, and casting rods from the beach to the shoreline just below the path to Needles Lodge.   

Ryan Maroney, 13, of Whitman reeled in a catch just under eight inches and as it was being measured the fish performed a back flip evoking laughter from volunteers Wendy Brown and husband Josh Hockenberry of Hanson.  The pair was in charge of jotting the length and then assisting in freeing the fish back to the pond as on lookers reacted to the “good size” of each scaly creature.

Goodbyes were not difficult as brother and sister Ruby, 2, and Sydney Hockenberry, 4,  of Hanson got close enough to react to the fish with a shiver quickly deciding they did not want to touch their squirmy sunfish. The event drew all ages including grandparents who waded in the water to help catch and cast — or untangle — the occasional fishing lines. Kim Anderson and Helen Mastico of the Rockland -Hanson Rotary Club attended the event during the prize presentation.

For the 266 members of the W-H Class of 2021, the postponement of graduation to Saturday, June 5 due to threatening weather was just another bump in a road of adjustments they’ve had to make since COVID-19 closed classrooms in March 2020.

“I think it would be appropriate for us all to take a moment and reflect on the journey that has brought us here today,” said Principal Dr. Christopher Jones in his welcoming remarks. “There have been hardships overcome, joyful moments, and relationships both created and lost, but we have persevered.”

He then released two graduation balloons in memory of two W-H teachers who passed away during the school year.

Perseverance has been a hallmark of this class, and the community supporting them. The outdoor ceremony — another departure from recent tradition — was something of a graduation for the seniors’ families, teachers and the towns in which they live, as well.

Retired School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes, speaking at his last commencement ceremony, may have spoken for many when he forcefully exclaimed, “Goodbye, COVID!” to open his remarks.

Student speakers also related how the challenges of the last 15 months or so have affected them, as well as how they have not permitted the pandemic to dampen their outlook.

There were also timeline corrections — as speakers had to edit speeches on the fly, referring to “this morning,” instead of the “this evening for which they had prepared.

“The whole world seemed to have caved in on us, in some of our most important and memorable years of education,” Class President Delanie MacDonald said in response to the many admonitions her class had heard to “look on the bright side” during the pandemic during her welcoming address. “Were they perfect? Absolutely not. But they served as a gentle reminder to always be grateful for what you have, not envious of what you don’t.”

Still, she saw some humor in the events of the past year or so.

“This year taught us that imperfection isn’t just OK, but has actually been kind of welcoming,” MacDonald said. “What a relief to not have to dress up, fix your hair, remember which outfit you’ve already worn that week, and so on. This year allowed us to be more ourselves than ever before.”

She challenged her class to embrace the imperfect as they go on with their lives.

“There’s no question that this year was a disaster,” said Salutatorian Payton Bourgelas. “It felt like we were in a constant cycle of adapting and then readapting and then tearing it all down and starting over. … Perspective on what truly matters in our lives. Perspective that the ‘little things’ are what we will carry with us long after our time at W-H.”

She singled out, the teachers who gave space to students having trouble with stress, the prom at Gillette Stadium and the Senior Day organized for the class as examples of the little things that may not have been a lot, but were enough to show seniors that someone cares.

Such life lessons were reinforced by Valedictorian Abigal DeLory.

“Don’t be scared to try new things, whether it’s crocodile pizza on a trip to Australia or a new extracurricular activity,” she said. “Question everything, and challenge the status quo. … Treat people with kindness, just like Harry Styles always says. You never know what someone is going through, and a small act of kindness can go a very long way. … Everybody is on their own path, and no single path is objectively better than another.”

Citing her own intention to travel the country during a gap year before deciding on her future, DeLory concluded by advising her fellow classmen that they have the freedom to choose their own adventure for life, “so choose wisely.”

Winner of the student speech competition, Anna Williams, offered thoughts on the meaning of goodbye.

“High School is going to change you in unexpected ways, but do not try to avoid this change. This change is good. This change will help us grow. This change is what we need to use to make this world a better place,” she said. “As we go through life, we are going to experience failure and obstacles needed in order to reach success. However, it is these failures and these obstacles that are pointing us into the right direction–to achieve our goals.”

Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak advised the graduates on life lessons is 27 years as an educator have taught him, including that they remove the words “should’ve, would’ve and could’ve” from their vocabulary.

Hayes, in addition to kicking COVID to the curb, advised students to soak in their last day among their entire class and the teachers that supported them over the past four years.

“In the face of many obstacles, you have chosen to rise, grow and succeed instead of wavering,” he said, noting those traits show their character. “You faced a pandemic head-on, not only for one academic year, but for two.”

Jones, in relating a difficult story of his own high school challenges on the wrestling team, advised students that the only thing that truly made their experience meaningful was not quitting because it seemed hard.

“You found out along the way one of the most valuable secrets to life: No matter how down and out you are, you always have more to give and just on the other side of that is where your success lies,” Jones said.

Hanson Selectmen Joseph Weeks, above from left, and Kenny  Mitchell escorted Janet Hamilton of Ladies in Mourning following her wreath lying at the Memorial to the Unreturned at Hanson’s Fern Hill Cemetery during Memorial Day observances Monday, May 31. VFW Auxiliary member Pat Tibaudo and American Legion  Commander Walter Aylward lay a wreath at the Veterans’  Lot at Colebrook Cemetery. See more photos, pages  6, 8 and 9.

Photos by Stephanie Spyropoulos, top/Tracy Seelye, right

HANSON  — Brett Miller always seems to be where people need him.

Call it fate, call it a calling, call it karma, a blessing or a curse, the Hanson resident has been there when lives have been at risk — since he was 6 years old and saved his older brother Kerry, who had fallen through the ice of a frozen cranberry bog.

It followed him through tours of duty as an Army medic in Desert Storm and Bosnia, and most recently on a flight to Los Angeles when a fellow passenger on the plane suffered a cardiac emergency.

Call it destiny, he does.

“The whole premise behind my book is all these events that occurred in my life where I have to save someone’s life,” he said during a backyard interview Tuesday, May 25. “Things happen when I’m around for some reason.”

Writing a book about that life experience, too, seems to have had a hand from fate. Now that book, “It’s a Beautiful Day to Save a Life: A Medic’s Journey to His Destiny,” [AuthorHouse, 2021, 114 pages, hardcover $26.99, softcover $13.99, E-book $3.99, available on Amazon and Kindle] will be celebrated by the business where he makes another kind of difference every day.

A book signing event is being held at 5 p.m., Thursday, May 27 at 110 Fitness, 200B Weymouth St., Rockland, where Miller runs programs for Parkinson’s patients, among others.

“I had always wanted to write a book and I had compiled multiple things in my head that I would write my book about, but I had never really organized it,” Miller said.

When the Covid-19 pandemic started, his gym was closed for four months while he continued working everyday — just fewer hours — which gave him time to write.

“I started doing some brainstorming,” he said. “I outlined it first in my mind more than on paper. I literally have notes that are on a Post-It.”

Those notes included his title for the book and a couple of chapter ideas. That developed into a nightly habit of writing a chapter. Each of the book’s 14 chapters are a something of their own short story representing a noteworthy event in his life. The writing may have been the easiest part, he said, noting that after that three-months of work it took another 10 months or so to find a publisher and go through the editing and pre-production process.

“The easiest part of writing a book is writing a book,” he said. “And then [editors] just beat it to death. They want to change your story, they want to make it marketable, they want to make it saleable. My primary purpose was not to be a New York Times bestseller, but just to share my story and be able to be a little bit vulnerable so, if it helps somebody else then I’ve achieved my goal.”

Miller is already working on book number two, this one on his experiences in building his gym and it’s programs.

“Most people don’t think they can write a book,” he said. “I originally thought that. I didn’t think I had the ability, nor the content.”

His life experiences and a desire to help others recognize that everyone faces struggles, showed him otherwise.

“Whether you have Parkinson’s Disease, or you have PTSD, or you have cancer, there’s so many commonalities to the struggle that makes it real for everybody,” he said, noting his own struggles have included attempted suicide, alcoholism and PTSD, mostly service-related.

“Bosnia was my biggest deal,” he said. “I came in after the ethnic cleansing and the massacre at Srebrenica, which is something that no one talks about.”

But he stressed it is also a story of inspiration — getting into struggles and overcoming them.

“Vulnerability is courageous as hell,” he said. “People judge no matter what, right? I don’t care. I’m at that point in my life where I get my book out, and most of the people that know me — or don’t know me — if they really dig in and look at my book, they’ll say, ‘Wow, for someone to put that on paper and be willing to share that with people…’”

He said the primary purpose is to help other people be less ashamed to admit they are struggling and need to ask for help.

Miller grew up in a rundown marina with his mom, a single mother at the time, and his brother, later moving to Norwell. He had planned to study health sciences at Northeastern University after high school, but balked at the cost and joined the Army to become a combat medic. He went into the medical equipment business while training professional boxers and using boxing to work with Parkinson’s patients in their homes when people began calling him after they saw a “60 Minutes” story in 2016 on a boxing program called Rock Steady that had the same aim.

He started 110 Fitness in Marshfield shortly after that, relocating to a bigger space in Rockland shortly after that.

Now the book “tour” begins.

Miller has already done a radio interview with WATD and is working on scheduling an appearance at the Derby Square Barnes & Noble store. He is also interested in local libraries.

He is also considering doing a podcast.

“I’m open to any ideas,” he said. “Who knows where I’ll go from here?”

School Committee Chairman Bob Hayes presided over his last meeting on Wednesday, May12 — he opted not to run again after 18 years on the committee, representing Hanson. He served as chairman for 15 of those years.

“I think we have a great gathering here — it must be a budget meeting, I’m not sure,” said Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak, invoking a point of order before the meeting’s regular business began. “Today is a special occasion.”

School Committee member Fred Small kicked off the ceremonies with the presentation of a plaque, a  W-H facemask, a proclamation from Gov. Charlie Baker (with which state Rep. Alyson Sullivan, R-Abington, assisted) and an American flag that had been flown over the Statehouse on April 27.

“Bob, it’s been a pleasure knowing you a good portion of my life … and to be involved and to serve with you on the School Committee for the past nine years,” Small said. “It’s truly been an honor and a privledge, and knowing the time, effort and amount of work that you’ve put into this committee, I know you’re going to sorely be missed.”

Hayes said his work on the committee was an “18-year team effort with many, many School Committee members that came and went.”

He also thanked selectmen and town administrators he has worked with over the years.

“They all came together at several times,” he said, noting budget negotiations. “All of this is how, from this brand new building 16 years ago … being built — everybody has played a part,” Hayes said, insisting he did nothing as an individual.

“We were not alone doing this,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s not about anybody in this room, it’s about everybody in this room. It’s about all of us.”

Szymaniak presented him with a certificate from the committee and his gavel as well as a gift.

Whitman Selectmen Vice Chairman Daniel Salvucci presented a proclamation on behalf of his board honoring Hayes and his contributions to the community. Fellow members Justin Evans and Randy LaMattina also attended the meeting.

“I know that you’re not going to just walk away, you’re going to get your hands into doing something for both communities,” Salvucci said, noting that he has known Hayes for about 30 years.

Sullivan, joined by state Rep. Josh Cutler, D-Pembroke, and state Sen. Mike Brady, D-Brockton, presented honors from the General Court.

“It’s great to be back,” Cutler said, mentioning that he and Sullivan calculated that the last time they had been in the WHRHS library was February 2020. “I’m sorry that it’s for this reason. Is there time to change this?”

Cutler said he could not imagine the W-H School Committee without Hayes.

“The breadth of commitment that you’ve given this community in both towns is incredible,” Cutler said before reading the resolution, which also honored his service as a youth sports coach. “In all the towns I represent, I can’t think of anyone whose done more for our schools than you have.”

“Thank you so much for everything you’ve done,” Sullivan said. “I know that you’re on the Hanson side of the W-H School District, but you have never been a stranger to reaching out and supporting the good cause here in W-H and we appreciate everything you do.”

She noted that Hayes’ grandchildren were among family members in attendance and suggested that, perhaps one of them would fill his shoes one day.

Brady, who also served on a school committee, also thanked Hayes for his service.

In other business, the School Committee said principal vacancies at Indian Head and Whitman Middle schools were filled, Szymaniak announced.

Paul DuPrey, currently principal at Remmington Middle School in Franklin, was chosen as principal WMS, and Dr. Joel Jocelyn, of Brockton, is currently principal of Franklin Elementary School in Newton, and will take the helm at Indian Head.

Assistant Superintendent of Schools George Ferro highlighted some of the summer programs being offered at W-H this year.

“All of them will center around regression and help with students in math and English language arts,” Ferro said. “They will look different in some schools.”

All summer programs at Duval Indian Head will have free six-week, home-based programs offering help for students who need it, funded by grants. All summer programs are based on end-of-year assessments and students will be invited to join the program they require. Conley’s traditional Camp Conley with daily enrichment in math and ELA built in. The Conley program will carry a fee, but the district is seeking summer enrichment grant money to help fund the Conley program and keep costs low.

Middle Schools will also be offering at-home help programs based on assessment results.

Aside from traditional sports camps, WHRHS Principal Dr. Christopher Jones said the regular summer enrichment program will be expanded by 30 seats and will address regression. Summer school will also be offered as well as the academic 3-D and science camps.

The extended school year program at the high school for special education students will also be offered as usual.

The School Committee voted to approve school improvement plans for next year.

WHITMAN — A male apparently suffering a medical emergency collided with a backhoe at an active construction site in Whitman Tuesday morning May 11.

The scene could have been much worse had it not been for Whitman Police Officer Christopher Lee who intervened as he worked the site detail — alerting workers as a car careened into the area — with National Grid workers at the trench side.

“The Whitman Police Department is extremely proud of the professionalism exhibited by all of the officers involved in this incident, and we are all thankful that a serious injury — or worse — was avoided,” said Chief Timothy Hanlon in a prepared statement.

Due in part to the officer’s quick thinking, no injuries were reported by any of the workers or officers on scene at the time of the crash.

Officers were working a detail assignment near 244 South Avenue/Route 27 in Whitman while Officer Lee stopped the westbound traffic.

He observed a male party slumped over the wheel of a gray Honda CRV that was approaching the scene, according to the police.

Sharing dredit

Lee commended all the officers on scene whom he said did “a great job” in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.

The male driver did stop, he said, but then floored it and hit the front loader.

He believed that the driver was already suffering a medical emergency in his observations through the car window, Lee said.

“I yelled stop and luckily they heard and the other officers (Officer Kevin Shanteler and  Officer Paul Young) began to yell — everyone was able to get out of the way. The car was only about 40 feet away. It was a matter of seconds,” said Officer Lee.

first aid

The three police officers on scene immediately began to render aid to the motorist and requested the Whitman Fire Department to the scene. The operator of the vehicle was transported to a local hospital by Whitman Ambulance with non-life threatening injuries, according to the release.

“This incident is proof that police officers provide an important level of safety and awareness while on the scene of a construction site such as this,” Chief Hanlon said.

Thankful that it all worked out, Lee said everyone was aware of their surroundings, which made all the difference in the positive outcome.