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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2022 Page 15 Sachem sports great plans to mentor young runners and track athletes again for summer camp By Mark E. Vogler C lasses are winding down for the students of the Saugus Public Schools. But Chris Tarantino — a 1990 Saugus High School graduate who has a reputation for mentoring young athletes in the sports of track and fi eld — is gearing up for the start of another Saugus Sachems track camp. “There was a big turnout last year — about 60 kids,” Tarantino said in a recent interview. “Newer families, younger families seem to have a lot of enthusiasm for what we are doing. There seems to be a want and need for this,” said Tarantino, who has been running the camp since 2006. He said he expects about 40 kids to participate in this year’s program. “There’s a lot of pluses to the camp,” Tarantino said. “The camp gives kids exposure to the sport of track and fi eld. It teaches them social skills, keeps them moving and keeps them physically healthy,” he said. Tarantino said the summer program targets kids in grades one to eight in the age bracket of fi ve to 14 years old. The program is sponsored by the town’s Youth & Recreation Department. Right now, Tarantino is fi nishing off a six-week spring program. There will be a oneweek break before summer track camp begins. There will be a trial week beginning on June 20, Monday through Friday, with no charge and no commitment. The formal two-week camp will begin June 27 — Monday through Friday during the first week and Monday through ThursSaugus Youth Baseball/ Softball Scholarship available T he Family of Stephen Wing will be providing a $500 scholarship to a graduating senior from any area high school who participated in a Saugus youth baseball or softball program. Applicants must be planning to attend a post-secondary school. The scholarship award will be given directly to the successful applicant. The $500 Stephen Wing Memorial Scholarship was created by Stephen’s Family in memory of a boy who loved life and thoroughly enjoyed OP-ED | FROM PAGE 8 actions, let us all commit ourselves to serve the country to which they gave their lives. While there is still much work to be done, the generation of Veterans from this century have access to vast resources, life-saving technology, and increased information. This same generation of Veterans is just now starting to defi ne our post-service legacy and like our grandparents, return home with a deep commitment to service, and a desire to address the many problems that we face. One such issue needing to be addressed is helping Veterans find purpose in their post-service lives. Truscott’s apology to the dead are not empty words, but a strong voice reminding us that we have an obligation to choose resilience and purpose when faced with guilt or grief. As an example, Gold Star Families, who have experienced playing and participating in youth baseball programs. Stephen’s desire to improve and willingness to work hard to achieve a goal enabled him to be considered a skilled baseball player. Stephen lost his battle with illness at the age of 10. Interested seniors are asked to provide the screening committee with the following: (1) a copy of your student data sheet (resume) and (2) a persuasive cover letter indicating why the applitremendous loss, continue to serve their communities to maintain the legacy of the loved one they lost. I often recall a colleague of mine responding to the question “why do you do so much to help Veterans?” he simply held up his finger, choking back tears he responded, “for the one I couldn’t save.” By choosing to use his voice to advocate for other veterans, he not only helped them fi nd their purpose — he found his own. It’s often said that for those who have served “every day is Memorial Day,” a traditionally silent observance in the Veteran’s mind that can best be described as an impossible trinity made up of an overwhelming sense of guilt, grief, and grit. Usually, a moment of silence on this day is a welcomed and solemn way to honor the voices from our past, but for myself, after losing three former soldiers to suicide in the past few months, silence is no loncant is an appropriate candidate for the scholarship (cover letters should indicate the teams/leagues participated in and the candidate’s eff orts to work hard to achieve goals. Additionally, the family seeks a candidate who demonstrates persistence and teamwork. The student data sheet (resume) and cover letter should be submitted to the Wing Memorial Scholarship c/o Ed Nazzaro (enazzaro47@comcast.net) on or before Tuesday, May 31, 2022. ger an option and the freedom to use our voice is the greatest gift that our veterans have to off er this Memorial Day. Joseph Reagan is the Director of Military and Veterans Outreach for Wreaths Across America. He has almost 20 years experience working with leaders within Government, non-profit, and Fortune 500 companies to develop sustainable strategies supporting National Security, and Veterans’ Health. He served 8 years on active duty as an offi cer in the U.S. Army including two tours to Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division. He is the recipient of multiple awards and decorations including the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. To view resources for service members, veterans, and their families, please visit learn. wreathsacrossamerica.org/ veteranresources. day during the second week. There will be a makeup session on that Friday, July 1, if needed, from 10 a.m. to noon. There will be a pasta dinner served up at Prince. The athletes will get a chance to compete at the Needham Invitational, which is set for Saturday, July 9. Training sessions remain at 6-8 p.m., at a cost of $200— $150 if you did the spring session and $100 if you have participated in the program for three or more years. The cost includes a camp t-shirt, uniform, pasta dinner and entry into the Needham Invite Meet. This year’s camp will have an optional week: July 11, Monday through Thursday, culminating with an in-house meet at Belmonte on July 16 starting at 10:00 a.m. Tarantino is again teaming up with Stephen Boudreau — a 1965 Saugus High School graduate and track star who later was Tarantino’s basketball coach. For more details, contact Interim Youth & Recreation Department Director Crystal Cakounes: 781-231-4022 or email ccakounes@saugus-ma.gov. Now is the Time for Broad Tax Relief Aimed at the Middle Class Record Gas and Diesel Fuel Prices Continue to Plague Massachusetts for a Second Week in a Row, MA Breaks Record for Highest Prices Ever Recorded B OSTON — According to data from AAA Northeast, for the second week in a row, gasoline and diesel prices continue to break state records on a daily basis. Every day of last week, prices broke state records established the previous day. Prices are continuing that costly trend this week, with today’s fuel prices breaking Friday’s state record. Today, a gallon of gasoline costs $4.602 and diesel $6.377. Last week’s gasoline was approximately 5% cheaper, a month ago it was 13% less expensive, and this time last year gasoline was $2.91 a gallon, which represents a 58% increase in price since then. Despite these high fuel prices, Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka have refused to consider suspending the state gas tax as other Northeastern states have already done, or are on the verge of doing. The Massachusetts Department of Revenue reported the state collected $6.9 billion from state taxpayers, a jump of 79% from last April. With record fuel prices, an 8.5% rate of infl ation, and Massachusetts collecting nearly 80% more in taxes last month over a year ago, now is the time for our State House leaders to immediately adopt broad tax relief aimed at middle class taxpayers. “Massachusetts taxpayers are in desperate need to have more money in their paychecks. A good way to do that is through broad based tax relief aimed at the middle class. Suspending the state gas tax is a start, and reducing the state income tax by 10% would go a long way to help taxpayers keep up with the rate of infl ation which stands at 8.5%. Reducing the state income tax rate from 5% to 4.5% would represent a 10% reduction, and be meaningful for hard-working middle-class Massachusetts taxpayers,” stated Paul Diego Craney, spokesman for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “The only thing worse than inaction by our Speaker and Senate President is the passage of the legislature’s graduated income surtax amendment, which would increase the income tax by 80% on some taxpayers and businesses. Even for taxpayers who do not fall into the legislature’s 80% tax hike, it will have an indirect impact on the middle class. Businesses will be forced to leave and the high tax costs will be passed down. As painful as it is today for the middle class, it can get a lot worse if the legislature’s 80% tax hike is passed this November,” concluded Craney.

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