THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, April 18, 2025 Page 13 SOUNDS | FROM PAGE 12 Town of Saugus reserves the right to refuse any material if quantity or quality is questionable. Go to https://www.saugus-ma.gov/solid-waste-recycling-department and click on “Recycling Guide” for a comprehensive list of items that are accepted or not accepted at the C.H.a.R.M. Center, in addition to guidelines for how to prepare different items for disposal at the facility. The C.H.a.R.M. Center will remain open on Wednesdays and Saturdays through the season until the winter. Please contact Solid Waste/ Recycling Coordinator Scott A. Brazis at 781-231-4036 with any questions. Honor a departed veteran on Memorial Day Selectman Corinne Riley announced this week a special way for Saugus families or friends to pay tribute to departed loved ones who served their country: “An important part of the Memorial Day parade is to remember and honor those veterans who have passed away. If you have a family member or friend you would like to have remembered on the media truck, please send along their photo, their branch of service and their name to Commander Steve Castinetti of the Veteran’s Council. His email address is stevecastinetti@comcast.net Please have all photos to him by April 30th.” Meanwhile, plans are already in the works for this year’s annual Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony, which is set for Saturday, May 24. Contact the Saugus Veterans Council if you would like to help out. Council Commander Steve Castinetti can be reached at 781-389-3678 or stevecastinetti@comcast.net Missing Gordie Shepard Memorial Day observances at Riverside Cemetery won’t be the same this year without Gordie Shepard – the legendary volunteer who has devoted thousands of hours over the past 17 years to sprucing up veterans’ gravesites in Saugus. Shepard, who enjoys winters down in Cocoa Beach, Fla., Rev. Beach plans to retire from St. John’s Episcopal Church The Rev. John Beach announced this week that he will be retiring from St. John’s Episcopal Church after officiating his final service later this month. “As you may already know, after 5 years of serving as the priest at St. John’s and having served 42 years of ordained ministry, Denise and I will be retiring next month,” Rev. Beach wrote in an email to the clergy. “Leaving Saugus will be a difficult step for us to make. We have been shaped and inspired by the prayers, encouragement, and kindness demonstrated by so many people,” he said. Rev. Beach and his wife Denise Bénéteau plan to move to Montreal after leaving Saugus on May 9. “Though you likely have Sunday obligations, any interested and available persons are welcome to attend my final service on April 27th at 10 a.m. We would be very grateful if you could remember Denise and me in prayer that Sunday as we begin this new chapter of our lives with both joy and trepidation,” he wrote. “The Rev. Dr. Paul Dalzell will be returning to St. John’s to serve as the interim from May-July. If any among you feel so inclined, it would be lovely if you could send him and his wife Robyn an email of welcome. He is currently at his home in Alexandra, Australia and can be emailed at: dalzoboy@gmail.com. I would be personally grateful if any among you can send him an email welcoming him back to this part of the world.” “We have procured a 3 bedroom flat in a lovely neighborhood in Montreal with easy subway access to downtown. In gratitude to the many people who offered lodging to me as I bicycled across the U.S. in 2023, we would like to extend hospitality to those who would like to visit this beautiful and historically rich region of this continent. Among my projects in retirement is to hone my skills as a Montreal tour guide.” won’t be able to offer TLC to the veterans’ gravesites because of an unfortunate accident earlier this year that led to him suffering several injuries, including a broken pelvis. Right now, he’s recuperating and hoping to get back to Saugus in time for Memorial Day. But the injuries will keep him sidelined for several more weeks. Shepard was initially drawn to Riverside Cemetery to visit the gravesite of his old childhood friend – Richard “Dicky” Devine, Jr. – a fellow Vietnam War veteran who was killed in combat in January of 1969. He made frequent visits over the years to his departed buddy’s grave. Shepard noticed his friend’s headstone was sinking into the ground and another gravestone of the hero buried beside Devine was covered with dirt and grass. As Shepard surveyed the cemetery, he noticed that many of the headstones and plaques bearing the names of other veterans were in disrepair. A few cemetery visits turned into a major mission for Shepard, who has restored more A SWEET TRIBUTE: Kane’s Donuts has developed “the ultimate post-race treat” for the Boston Marathon: the 26.2 Brew Donut, something nice after a runner completes those 26.2 miles. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) than 400 gravesites belonging to veterans. The town hon- THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 15
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