With so much recognition being given to the Veterans of WWII, and they deserve so, I would like to pay tribute to those who were forced to stay behind. "The Home Front," as they were known as in those days. I'm talking about the ones who were not physically able to fight. These were the people who did a lot to boost the morale of the men who did fight to preserve the democracy we now enjoy. Those individuals would organize community block parties, amongst other things, using the funds they raised to send packages from home to the boys from the neighborhood. It was always nice to get a package from home and the letters were great, too. We would always get letters.

One such person I would like to acknowledge is Tony Famiglietti. Tony ran a "Mom and Pop" store in the neighborhood on Elm Avenue in those days. His mother and father, known as "Grampy and Misses" to all customers, started the business and Tony grew up into it. It was the kind of store where everybody knew everybody and if you didn't have enough money to pay for your groceries, you would pay the next time you came in. Tony could be heard practicing his trumpet between customers. He played in the Fire Department band. Yes, they had a band in those days. He also played on the local semi-pro football team named the Sebas. He was very much a concerned and civic-minded person. He never had a bad word about anyone.

Tony used to run block parties to raise money to make up packages to send overseas for the boys from Elm Avenue. He would make sure that those of us who were overseas would get letters from home keeping us posted about what was going on in the neighborhood, who was going into the service, who was coming home, who was wounded, and who might have been killed in action. Tony was just an okay guy. With some of the funds he raised, he erected an honor roll on his property, on the corner of Elm Avenue and Frost Pond Road, inscribed with the names of those from Elm Avenue who served. The honor roll is gone now, but in its place is a bronze plaque embedded in a large stone. Thank you, Tony Famiglietti. You just can't help but admire this man. If the world had more people like Tony, it would be a much better place. Tony is gone now, but he will always be remembered by the people whose lives he touched. God bless and it was an honor to have known you.

John Fitzpatrick