Foxboro Jaycee (and 2012 Key Man winner) Deena Cummings, serving her third tour of duty in 2013, was prominently featured on a billboard by U/Mass Boston honoring its student veterans. Deena is pictured in cap and gown in the center, over her military fatigues. A ceremony was arranged for her a few months before to receive her diploma before shipping back to Afghanistan. Foxboro is very proud of all are local heroes and we thank them for their service and hope they come home safely very soon!
This is the new story from Boston.com:
In Bowdoin-Geneva, UMass Boston unveils billboard promoting programs for vets
September 25, 2013
Boston.com More towns
By Patrick D. Rosso, Town Correspondent
Text copyright: Patrick D. Rosso, Town Correspondent for Boston.com.
Surrounded by camouflage-clad grads, the University of Massachusetts Boston unveiled its newest promotional billboard Wednesday, which aims to highlight the school’s dedication to educating returning veterans.
“In consideration of some of the bravest yet most vulnerable members of our community, we are using these billboards to honor those of our student body who have served our country,” Chancellor J. Keith Motley, remarked at the unveiling in Dorchester Wednesday. “Today, we are proud and honored to show you the faces of our student veterans, so that you may know their stories and triumphs.”
The new billboard, located at the corner of Bowdoin Street and Geneva Avenue, is one of 12 that will be put up throughout the city. The space was donated by the Boston division of Clear Channel.
Featuring a number of young veterans and active military personnel, the billboards extol the virtues of the national Combat 2 Campus program and UMass Boston’s efforts to integrate and educate the estimated 650 veterans and active military personnel that currently attend the university.
“It’s a little weird to see myself on a billboard, but it feels good,” said Deonilde Cardoso, a 23-year-old specialist with the United States Army, Dorchester resident, and UMass Boston student.
Currently studying criminal justice, Cardoso said she is excited to act as an example for others in the military, especially the young women that fill its ranks.
“Being a women I want other female soldiers to know there are options out there,” she said.
Pierre Salomon, a 23-year-old sergeant in the United States Army studying criminal justice and sociology was also featured on the billboard. He said he often tells the young men and women serving under him about the importance of education and the programs that are available to them.
“I think it’s good to know there are programs and schools that support veterans,” said Salomon, a Roslindale resident. “I try to tell the young privates coming in about what’s out there for them.”
The billboard in Bowdoin-Geneva is not the first time the university has used the medium to promote initiatives close to its mission. In 2012 it partnered with the Bridge to Excellence to design a billboard to promote mentoring and in 2011 the university partnered with the Louis D. Browne Institute to design a billboard to promote peace.
“I am only one of the growing number of students veterans that educational institutions such as UMass Boston are addressing,” said Francisco Urena, commissioner of veterans services for the city of Boston and UMass Boston graduate.
“Let’s think about how to assist these men and women transition when they come back home to civilian life and continue their education, let’s follow the UMass Boston lead in spreading this important message and acknowledging how thankful we are to those who strive to make peace right here at home and abroad,” he said.
(Click any picture for a larger image)
Billboard Images by Robert Gillis
Published: Thursday, October 3, 2013 11:58 AM EDT
All text copyright this article ©2013 Foxboro Reporter.
Built 41 years ago as a Jaycees project, the Foxboro Common Bandstand will be re-dedicated this spring as “Bowditch Bandstand,” in honor of a music loving family that gave much to Foxboro.
Robert Motta, a 46 year town resident who is also a former Jaycee and a current member of the Foxboro Lions, won the board of selectmen’s enthusiastic approval Tuesday for the dedication.
Motta provided the board with some history:
“Hoel and Mary Bowditch were lifelong residents of Foxboro. They were very much involved and committed to their community and their church. Hoel Bowditch organized and led the Annual Community Caroling on the Common. In conjunction with the Jaycees and the Foxboro High School Band, his group performed over an approximately twenty-five period from when the bandstand was built in 1972 until the later 1990s.
“Although not connected with the bandstand, Hoel and Mary were also involved in community music since the 1940’s with groups such as The Foxboro Company Glee Club and The Neponset Choral Society.”
Their son, Harry Bowditch, who recently died, had designed the bandstand and built it with other Jaycees, including Motta.
Motta brough the dedication idea to Harry’s wife Rachel and Harry’s brother Peter.
“As you can imagine, they are very pleased with the proposal being made by us former Jaycees, Jaycee Wives and dear friends of Harry,” Motta told the board.
The plaque, the design of which Motta showed to selectmen, will be installed on the bandstand at the time of the ceremony next year.
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