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Page 4 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, May 19, 2023 Tom Heerter was one-of-a-kind and is missed every day by Malden community Memorial ceremony for beloved late youth sports coach planned for June 3 at Pine Banks Park By Steve Freker T om Heerter Sr. was one of a kind. Like they say around Malden, he was “a real character,” and in these parts that is a bigtime compliment. It means he had ways about him that were unique – in a good way – and when talking about Tom Heerter, there is a whole bunch of good to talk about. As Pine Banks Superintendent Kevin Benner, who was coached by Heerter in multiple sports and then coached alongside him, says, “Tom was like the Father Flanagan of Malden sports. He loved ALL the kids and never thought there was a bad kid anywhere, only another one that needed to be helped.” The worst thing that Tom Heerter would ever say was that a kid was “a little fresh sometimes,” to coin a phrase... and then he’d find a way to help that kid get back on the right track. He was man of all seasons, lit$2.99 GALLON We accept: MasterCard * Visa * & Discover Price Subject to Change without notice 100 Gal. Min. 24 Hr. Service 781-286-2602 A erally, as he would coach football, basketball and Little League and Babe Ruth baseball, sometimes multiple sports and teams in multiple seasons. That was Tom. He would coach any kid, any time. It would always be a labor of love. Hundreds if not Tom Heerter Sr. thousands of kids benefitted from Tom’s guidance and nurturing. When he passed suddenly in 2015, taking ill during a practice on a Malden field, of course, a huge void was left in the Malden community. Benner has taken the mantle of organizing a memorial event for Tom Heerter Sr., on Saturday, June 3, at Pine Banks Park (1087 Flyer Main St., Malden) at 11:00 a.m. A memorial stone will be laid and other remembrances will be held. A free cookout on the park premises will follow. Tom’s family, extended family and all who loved him are invited or are welcome. Spread the word! Donations to help defray the cost of the event are encouraged online at www-pinebanks.org. Art show gives voice to immigrants just-opened exhibit at The Gallery at Sanctuary, a storefront gallery in West Medford, Lawrence A. Simeone Jr. Attorney-at-Law ~ Since 1989 ~ * Corporate Litigation * Criminal/Civil * MCAD * Zoning/Land Court * Wetlands Litigation * Workmen’s Compensation * Landlord/Tenant Litigation * Real Estate Law * Construction Litigation * Tax Lein * Personal Injury * Bankruptcy * Wrongful Death * Zoning/Permitting Litigation 300 Broadway, Suite 1, Revere * 781-286-1560 lsimeonejr@simeonelaw.net showcases the lives of immigrants in painting, photography, fabric and poetry. Titled “IamMigration” the collection includes contributions from both wellknown and little-known artists, many from the Immigrant Learning Center in Malden. The exhibit is open through July 15. A reception is planned for Sunday, June 4, from 2-4 p.m. at The Gallery at Sanctuary, which is located at 458 High St. in West Medford. It will include art, music, poetry readings, food and refreshments featuring immigrant cultures. It is free and open to the public. “In Massachusetts, one of six of us is an immigrant,” said the Rev. Wendy Olapade, minister of Sanctuary UCC, which is hosting the art series. “By sharing our stories through art, we hope to create a greater appreciation for how immigrants enrich our communities.” Contributors include Sylvestre Telfort and Bitho Faustin, two visual artists from Haiti; Thaer Abdallah, a Palestinian artist from Iraq; and Anna Thai, an embroidery artist from Vietnam. Other artists come from China, Guatemala, Iran, Brazil, Ukraine, El Salvador and beyond. One of the most striking pieces is Bitho Faustin’s painting “Boat People,” which depicts in rich blues and yellows the desperate crossing by boat to Miami. Another is Thaer Abdallah’s 40x60-inch oil painting “The Nakba,” which portrays the forced migration of Palestinian people in 1948. Pictured is an exodus across the desert – a universal theme for all those having to leave their homes. The exhibit continues a program at The Gallery at Sanctuary of art, film and spoken word on the theme of immigration and migration. More information, including Gallery hours, is available at www.sanctuaryucc.org. Appointments for Gallery visits can be made by emailing finance@sanctuaryucc.org. Movie Night at the Malden Public Library J oin us for Movie Night on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, from 6:00-8:15 p.m. at the Malden Public Library. We will be showing a movie inspired by Emily Brontë’s life. “Emily imagines Emily Brontë’s own Gothic story that inspired her seminal novel, Wuthering Heights. Haunted by her mother’s death, Emily struggles within the confines of her family life and yearns for artistic and personal freedom, and so begins a journey to channel her creative potential into one of the greatEmily Brontë est novels of all time.” Rated R – 130 minutes – 2022. Free snacks will be provided. Movie times are approximate.

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