Page 6 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, May 15, 2020 VETS | FROM PAGE 1 reef during the weekend before Veterans Day this November. The reef will be built with 2000-pound concrete domes, or markers, with holes on all sides to allow fish and water to flow in and out. Families can mix their loved one’s ashes into the concrete or place then in an urn inside the dome. Each marker will have a nameplate, and families can add personal touches, such as statuettes, inscribed messages or handprints. The markers will be lowered about 40 feet down and placed on the ocean floor where, Marcinowski said, they will begin boosting marine life by accelerating the growth of coral and forming a reef that will provide a habitat for thousands of species of fish and sea creatures. In a sense, veterans will live on as part of a dynamic marine ecosystem. “I am trying to do something to give back to vets,” said Marcinowski. “I want to make sure they are recognized for eternity.” It’s no surprise that Marcinowski decided to create a memorial reef specifically to honor veterans. A Malden native, he grew up in the neighborhood behind the Moose Lodge on the east side of the city. A member of the Malden High Class of 1987, Marcinowski knew early on he was headed for the U.S. Air Force. His accounting teacher told him that he was wasting his life by joining the military. She tried to sell him on a career with spreadsheets and ledgers, but Marcinowski wasn’t having any of it. “I was able to enlist in the Air Force with my parents’ permission when I was 16 in a program known as Delayed Entry Program,” he said, adding that his family’s finances made college an unlikely prospect. He began serving as an Air We Now Offer For Your Eating Pleasure “UBER EATS” Convenient Delivery Service Bianchi’s Pizza and Renzo’s Full Menu To Go Open for Takeout for Bianchi’s Pizza and Renzo’s Food 381 Revere Beach Blvd., Revere 781-284-5600 J& • Reliable Mowing Service • Spring & Fall Cleanups • Mulch & Edging • Sod or Seed Lawns • Shrub Planting & Trimming • Water & Sewer Repairs Joe Pierotti, Jr. Force medic in 1987 and saw his first war when he was 20 during Desert Storm. He went on to serve in Operation Provide Comfort, a mission to rebuild Kuwait and provide humanitarian aid to Kurdish refugees in the wake of the Gulf War. He was also part of Operation Provide Comfort, a humanitarian mission that provided medical equipment and aid to former Soviet republics after the fall of the Soviet Union. Marcinowski transferred to the Air Force Reserves, earned a degree as a physician’s assistant and joined the North Carolina Army National Guard. He was called back into service during the early days of Operation Iraqi Freedom and served with the infantry as a battalion aid surgeon. Marcinowski, who was trained as an army flight surgeon, finished his military career as the North Carolina deputy state flight surgeon in 2012. He now works as a certified physician’s assistant in Wilmington, N.C. S LANDSCAPE & MASONRY CO. Masonry - Asphalt • Brick or Block Steps • Brick or Block Walls • Concrete or Brick Paver Patios & Walkways • Brick Re-Pointing • Asphalt Paving www.JandSlandscape-masonry.com • Senior Discount • Free Estimates • Licensed & Insured 617-389-1490 Designing and Constructing Ideas that are “Grounds for Success” Landscaping Each dome in the Veterans Memorial Reef will support the underwater ecosystem by promoting the growth of coral and creating a habitat for marine life. The Veterans Memorial Reef Foundations plan to let colleges and universities use the reef to study marine biology. The Veterans Memorial Reef will be built with concrete domes or markers that commemorate the life and service of individual veterans. (Courtesy Photos) Marcinowski founded the nonprofit Veterans Memorial Reef Foundation last May and has since been working with friends Joe Irrera and Alex Cupernall to put all the pieces of the project in place. “We put a lot of sweat and tears into this,” he said. “We want to do good and give something back.” Although Marcinowski said every veteran who served honorably should be recognized, he is particularly concerned about homeless vets who may not have family to arrange funerals and memorials. “No vet should go unrecognized,” he added. “If you wore boots, you have family.” Unlike cemeteries, which can be cold and unwelcoming, the hope is the reef will be a living memorial not just for marine life, but also for families and friends. Marcinowski said there is a military tradition of cracking open a beer at a buddy’s gravesite and pouring it into the ground to share and remember. He said he can see that same tradition playing out from the deck of a boat. Eventually, he hopes, there will be opportunities for diving, snorkeling and fishing tournaments. The Veterans Memorial Reef website will include the names and short biographies of each vet along with their military awards. Marcinowski looks forward to providing that information and teaching civilians about the meaning and importance of military awards. While the cost of laying a loved one to rest within the reef is about $4,000, considerably less than a traditional funeral, the foundation is raising money to help veterans who cannot afford it and also to cover some of the many other expenses involved in operating and maintaining the project. For more information about the Veterans Memorial Reef or to make a donation to help a vet in need, go to http://vetsmemorialreef.org/.
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