第127屆波士頓馬拉松賽邀David Ortiz掌帥印 比賽日程已底定

圖片來自波士頓體育會網站。

               (Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓體育協會 (B.A.A.) 宣佈，訂4月17日，在「愛國者日 (Patriots’ Day) 」舉行的第 127 屆波士頓馬拉賽，將有來自122國，以及美國50州的大約3萬人參加。

              曾經3度贏得世界冠軍系列的紅襪隊傳奇球員David Ortiz，今年將出任大統帥，從霍普金頓 (Hopkinton) 帶隊跑到波士頓。

              2013年4月15日時，David Ortiz的激動人心演講，在馬拉松賽爆炸案發生後凝聚、團結了人心。10年後，他再回來，將儀式性的沿著賽道帶領跑者。David Ortiz不但再2003年到2016年間都是紅襪隊的領袖人物，他在賽場內外，都展現了堅忍不拔的精神。

              David Ortiz將駕著全新的2023年本田駕駛號 (Honda Pilot)，這波士頓馬拉松賽官方車輛，在今年的比賽冠軍抵達波約斯頓街(Boylston)終點線前，開到終點線前。

              第 127 屆波士頓馬拉松賽事日程已排定，John Hancock將第38年度的作為波士頓馬拉松賽的主要贊助者。

 4 月 14 日 (週五)至 4 月 16 日(週日)

波士頓馬拉松博覽會 | 海恩斯 (Hynes) 會議中心

4 月 14 日(週五) 上午 11:00 至下午 6:00； 4 月 15 日(週六)上午 9:00 至下午 6:00； 4 月 16 日(週日)上午 9:00 至下午 6:00

 波士頓馬拉松博覽會將於 4 月 14 日(週五)至 4 月 16 日(週日)向參賽者及公眾開放。參賽者將可領取號碼布條，瀏覽贊助商展館，拍照，購買城內最大的Adidas波士頓馬拉松商品系列。查講座系列資訊可上網，https://www.baa.org/boston-marathon-expo。 

博覽會還有很多講座系列。 嘉賓包括波士頓馬拉松賽道總監 Dave McGillivray、Ali on the Run 播客的 Ali Feller、作者和倡導者 Alison Mariella Désir、職業運動員 Kara Goucher 和 Lauren Fleshman、跑步先驅 Marilyn Bevans、Kathrine Switzer、Patti Dillon 和波士頓馬拉松冠軍 喬恩·安德森 (Jon Anderson) 和杰奎琳·漢森 (Jacqueline Hansen) 。他們在 1973 年贏得冠軍，今年慶祝 50 週年。 

波士頓馬拉松粉絲節 | 柯普利 (Copley)廣場公園

4 月 14 日 (週五)中午 12:00 - 8:00 PM。; 4 月 15 日(週六)上午 10:00 至晚上 8:00； 4 月 16 日(週日)上午 10:00 至下午 4:00 

在柯普利廣場公園的波士頓馬拉松粉絲節將是沉浸在比賽週氣氛中的地方。 粉絲節(Fan Fest) 將舉辦現場音樂、娛樂、拍照、見面會、最後一場波士頓馬拉松訓練診所等活動。包括講座成員的詳細活動時間表，可上網查https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/fan-fest 。 

約翰漢考克職業運動員領域的頂級參賽者將參加波士頓馬拉松球迷節的問答環節，並將在活動結束後於終點線和觀眾互動。 預定參賽者包括世界紀錄保持者和奧運金牌得主 Eliud Kipchoge、波士頓馬拉松冠軍 Evans Chebet、Daniel Romanchuk、Manuela Schär、Des Linden、Edna Kiplagat、Meb Keflezighi 和 Ernst van Dyk，以及 Aliphine 等美國頂尖選手 Tuliamuk、Sara Hall、Emma Bates、Susannaha Scaroni、Scott Fauble 和 Conner Mantz。 

波士頓馬拉松和 Meet Boston 合作點亮夜晚投影秀（2023 年新增）| 費爾蒙柯普利廣場酒店

4 月 14 日(週五)晚上 8 點 - 下午10:00。; 4 月 15 日(週六)晚上 8:00 - 下午10:00。; 4 月 16 日(週日)晚上 8:00 - 下午10:00。 

2023 年新增，以馬拉松為主題的視頻投影秀，將每晚播放三場獨特的節目，點亮費爾蒙柯普利廣場酒店的標誌性外牆，讓參賽者、觀眾和社區成員為比賽日做好準備。 放映節目以 127 年比賽的精彩視頻和難忘時刻為特色，慶祝今年的#oneBOSTON 主題，每晚每 15 分鐘播放一次。 該節目與 Meet Boston 合作，並與 Hersch Visuals & LuminArtz 攜手創作。 

山姆亞當斯跑步酒吧 | 在波約斯頓街 (Boylston)和達特茅斯街(Dartmouth)的交界處

4 月 14 日 (週五)下午 3:00 - 下午10:00。; 4 月 15 日(週六)中午 12:00 - 下午10:00。; 4 月 16 日(週日)上午 11:00 至下午 5:00 

在距離終點線僅幾步之遙的 Samuel Adams Run Pub 放鬆身心，享用 Samuel Adams 26.2 Brew，探索毗鄰柯普利廣場的馬拉松主題啤酒花園。 啤酒花園將有遊戲，並在整個週末有和運動員晤見會。 

4 月 15 日(週六)—— 波士頓團結日 (One Boston Day)

Point32Health 舉辦的2023 BAA 5000公尺賽 | 上午 8:00 | 波士頓廣場 (Boston Common)

大約 10,000 名參賽者將參加 2023 年 B.A.A. 混合距離的第一場比賽，穿越後灣區 (Back Bay) 跑 3.1 英里。這將是有頂級美國及國際運動員的星級專場。儘管註冊名額已滿，希望社區成員都能出來為運動員加油。 查詢參加比賽的職業運動員名單，可上網Global Medalists, Returning Champions Highlight Professional Fields for 2023 B.A.A. 5K and B.A.A. Invitational Mile | Boston Athletic Association (baa.org)。 

2023 波士頓體育會邀請賽 | 上午 10:30 | 波約斯頓街 (B0ylston) /波士頓馬拉松終點線

波士頓體育會 (B.A.A)邀請賽有一些世界上頂尖的專業運動員，以及來自波士頓馬拉松賽沿線八個城鎮的學生運動員。查參加比賽的職業運動員名單，可上網Global Medalists, Returning Champions Highlight Professional Fields for 2023 B.A.A. 5K and B.A.A. Invitational Mile | Boston Athletic Association (baa.org)。 Boylston、Newbury、Dartmouth 和 Exeter 街道上將擠滿粉絲。 

波士頓團結紀念日 | 下午 2:30 | 波約斯頓頓街 (Boylston) 終點線區

波士頓市和波士頓體育會 ( B.A.A.)將於 2023 年 4 月 15 日 (週六)在 Boylston 街舉行兩場紀念活動，以紀念 2013 年的 4 月 15 日。第一場是清晨的私人聚會，並為在 2013 年波士頓馬拉松賽中失去親人的家庭獻花圈。 由來自波士頓和鄰近地區的急救人員組成的儀仗隊將全天出現在紀念地點。 在 B.A.A.的 5K賽之後，市政府將開放達特茅斯街和費爾菲爾德街 (Fairfield) 之間的 Boylston 街，供公眾參觀紀念地點。 

下午 2 點 30 分，公眾將獲邀加入「一基金 ( One Fund) 」社區的成員、市長吳弭 ( Michelle Wu)、州長 Maura Healey、急救人員、醫院領導、B.A.A. 領導層和當地跑步團體在波士頓馬拉松終點線，題點新的紀念終點線，鳴鐘，並在 Boylston 街揭幕「波士頓團結日 (One Boston Day)」標誌。 

波士頓流行樂團的銅管四重奏組和波士頓城市歌手巡迴合唱團的成員將演奏精選音樂以紀念 2013 年 4 月 15 日。BAA鼓勵社區成員和公眾參加這些活動，以反思、記住和慶祝 波士頓的力量和團結。 

2023 波士頓體育會接力挑戰 |下午 3點 | Dartmouth街和Clarendon街間的 Boylston 街

來自大波士頓地區的中學和青年項目將為B.A.A. 接力挑戰齊聚。 在由志願者教練教授累計一個月的項目中，接力挑戰將有學生參加接力比賽並從 B.A.A. 運動員和教練員那兒學習跑步技巧。 

達納—法伯癌症研究所和吉米基金會提供的波士頓體育會回饋 | 下午7點 | Fairmont Copley Plaza – 需要購票的活動

從晚上 7點到10點，在 Fairmont Copley Plaza 有Dana-Farber癌症研究所和吉米基金會 舉辦，為支持波士頓體育會一整年社區活動的籌款晚會。 波士頓紅襪隊傳奇人物和三屆世界大賽冠軍David Ortiz將獲頒得愛國者獎，殘疾人運動員和包容倡導者阿德里安哈斯萊特將獲得The Dick & Rick Hoyt獎。 

門票數量有限，可供公眾購買。 如有問題，請聯繫 baagivesback@baa.org。 

4 月 17 日(週一)——第 127 屆波士頓馬拉松比賽日

第127屆波士頓馬拉松賽| 霍普金頓到麻州波士頓

30,000 名運動員將從霍普金頓跑到波士頓，參加全程 26.2 英里的第 127 屆波士頓馬拉松賽。這世界上歷史最悠久的年度馬拉松賽每年慶祝社區精神和對運動卓越的追求。 

山姆·亞當斯 (Samuel Adams) 舉辦波士頓馬拉松 27 英里賽后派對 | 下午6點半 | 芬衛球場

山姆亞當斯 (Samuel Adams) 舉辦的第 27 英里賽后派對，回到芬衛球場。跑完比賽者可以享受美國最受歡迎的棒球場，在警告跑道上行走，並在為征服 26.2 英里而歡呼時品嚐茶點。購票可上網，https://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/enter/mile-27-boston-marathon-post-race-celebration。

127th Boston Marathon Grand Marshal and Schedule of Events Announced

World Series Champion David Ortiz to Serve as Boston Marathon Grand Marshal

 

BOSTON—The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) is proud to announce the Grand Marshal and a detailed schedule of public events celebrating the 127th Boston Marathon, to be run on Patriots’ Day, Monday, April 17, 2023. This year’s field includes 30,000 entrants from 122 countries and all 50 U.S. States.

 

Three-time World Series champion and Red Sox legend David Ortiz will serve as Grand Marshal this year, leading the way from Hopkinton to Boston on race morning. Ortiz, whose rousing speech united Boston in the aftermath of April 15, 2013, returns ten years on to ceremonially guide the field of participants along the course. A leader on the Red Sox from 2003-2016, Ortiz embodied the strength and resilient spirit of Boston both on and off the playing field throughout his career.   

 

Ortiz will be driven to the finish in the all-new 2023 Honda Pilot, the Official Vehicle of the Boston Marathon, and reach the finish shortly before race champions break the finish tape on Boylston Street.

 

127th Boston Marathon Schedule of Events

 

The B.A.A. welcomes participants, spectators, volunteers, and community members to attend race week events in honor of the 127th Boston Marathon. A detailed schedule of events can be found below. For the 38th year, John Hancock will serve as principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon.

 

FRIDAY, APRIL 14 THROUGH SUNDAY, APRIL 16

Boston Marathon Expo | Hynes Convention Center

Friday, April 14 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Saturday, April 15 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Sunday, April 16 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

 

The Boston Marathon Expo will be open to participants and members of the public from Friday, April 14 through Sunday, April 16. Participants will pick up their bib numbers and explore a sponsor pavilion, pose for photo-ops, and shop the largest collection of adidas Boston Marathon merchandise in town.

 

The Expo also features an extensive panel series, which can be viewed in its entirety here. Guests include Boston Marathon race course director Dave McGillivray, Ali Feller of the Ali on the Run podcast, author and advocate Alison Mariella Désir, professional athletes Kara Goucher and Lauren Fleshman, running pioneers Marilyn Bevans, Kathrine Switzer, Patti Dillon, and Boston Marathon champions Jon Anderson and Jacqueline Hansen, who celebrate the 50th anniversary of their 1973 victory this year.

 

Boston Marathon Fan Fest | Copley Square Park

Friday, April 14 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Saturday, April 15 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, April 16 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

 

Boston Marathon Fan Fest in Copley Square Park will be the place to soak in the race week atmosphere. Fan Fest will play host to live music, entertainment, photo-ops, meet and greets, a final Boston Marathon training clinic, and more. A detailed event schedule, including featured panelists, is available here.

 

Top contenders within the John Hancock Professional Athlete Field will take part in Q&A’s at Boston Marathon Fan Fest, and will interact with spectators at the finish line following their sessions. Among those scheduled to participate are world record holder and Olympic gold medalist Eliud Kipchoge, Boston Marathon champions Evans Chebet, Daniel Romanchuk, Manuela Schär, Des Linden, Edna Kiplagat, Meb Keflezighi, and Ernst van Dyk, as well as top Americans such as Aliphine Tuliamuk, Sara Hall, Emma Bates, Susannaha Scaroni, Scott Fauble, and Conner Mantz. 

 

The Boston Marathon Light Up the Night Projection Show in partnership with Meet Boston (New for 2023) | Fairmont Copley Plaza

Friday, April 14 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.; Saturday, April 15 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.; Sunday, April 16 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

 

New for 2023, a marathon-themed video projection show will feature three unique shows each evening that will light up the iconic façade of the Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel and get participants, spectators, and community members ready for race day. Featuring highlight videos and memorable moments from 127 years of racing, the projection show will celebrate this year’s #oneBOSTON theme and will play every 15 minutes each evening. The show is in partnership with Meet Boston and created in coordination with Hersch Visuals & LuminArtz. 

 

Samuel Adams Run Pub | Intersection of Boylston Street and Dartmouth Street

Friday, April 14 3:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.; Saturday, April 15 12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.; Sunday, April 16 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

 

Unwind at the Samuel Adams Run Pub, just steps from the finish line. Enjoy a Samuel Adams 26.2 Brew and explore the marathon-themed beer garden adjacent to Copley Square. The Beer Garden will feature games and have athlete meet & greets throughout the weekend.

 

SATURDAY, APRIL 15 – ONE BOSTON DAY

2023 B.A.A. 5K presented by Point32Health | 8:00 a.m. | Boston Common

Nearly 10,000 participants will take part in the first race of the 2023 B.A.A. Distance Medley, racing 3.1 miles through Back Bay. A stellar professional field features top American and international athletes. While registration is sold out, members of the community are invited to come out and cheer athletes on. A list of professional athletes competing can be found here.

 

2023 B.A.A. Invitational Mile | 10:30 a.m. | Boylston Street/Boston Marathon Finish Line

The B.A.A. Invitational Mile features some of the top professional milers in the world, as well as scholastic student-athletes from each of the eight cities and towns along the Boston Marathon route. A list of professional athletes competing can be found here. Fans pack the loop course on Boylston, Newbury, Dartmouth and Exeter Streets.

 

One Boston Day of Remembrance | 2:30 p.m. | Boylston Street Finish Area

The City of Boston and the B.A.A. will honor April 15, 2013 with two remembrance events on Boylston Street on Saturday, April 15, 2023. The first will be an early morning private gathering and wreath laying at the memorial sites for the families who lost loved ones at the 2013 Boston Marathon. Honor guards made up of first responders from Boston and neighboring areas will be present at the memorial sites throughout the day. After the B.A.A. 5K, the City will open Boylston Street between Dartmouth and Fairfield Streets for members of the public to visit the memorial sites. 

 

At 2:30 p.m., the public is invited to join members of the One Fund Community, Mayor Michelle Wu, Governor Maura Healey, first responders, hospital leaders, B.A.A. leadership, and local running groups at the Boston Marathon Finish Line for a dedication of a new commemorative finish line, the ringing of bells, and the unveiling of a One Boston Day marker on Boylston Street.

 

A brass quartet from the Boston Pops along with members of Boston City Singers Tour Choir will perform a selection of music in remembrance of April 15, 2013. Community members and the general public are encouraged to attend these events as we reflect, remember, and celebrate the strength and unity of Boston.

 

2023 B.A.A. Relay Challenge | 3:00 p.m. | Boylston Street between Dartmouth & Clarendon Streets

Middle schools and youth programs from around Greater Boston will gather for the B.A.A. Relay Challenge. In the culmination of a month-long program taught by volunteer coaches, the relay challenge features students racing in relays and learning running tips from B.A.A. athletes and coaches.

 

B.A.A. Gives Back presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund | 7:00 p.m. | Fairmont Copley Plaza – Ticketed Event

Join us from 7:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. at the Fairmont Copley Plaza for B.A.A. Gives Back presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, an evening dedicated to raising support for the B.A.A.’s year-round community initiatives. David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox legend and three-time World Series Champion, will receive the Patriots’ Award and Adrianne Haslet, Para Athlete and Inclusion Advocate, will receive The Dick & Rick Hoyt Award.

 

Limited tickets are available for the public to purchase. For questions, contact baagivesback@baa.org.

 

 

MONDAY, APRIL 17 – 127th BOSTON MARATHON RACE DAY

127th Boston Marathon | Hopkinton to Boston, MA

A field of 30,000 athletes will participate in the 127th running of the Boston Marathon, covering 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boston. The world’s oldest annually run marathon celebrates community spirit and the pursuit of athletic excellence each year.

 

Boston Marathon Mile 27 Post-Race Party presented by Samuel Adams | 6:30 p.m. | Fenway Park

The Mile 27 Post-Race Party presented by Samuel Adams returns to Fenway Park. Finishers can enjoy America's most beloved ballpark, walk on the warning track, and savor refreshments as they cheers to conquering 26.2 miles. Tickets are available for purchase here.

MAYOR WU LAUNCHES $750,000 GRANT FUND TO SUPPORT GROWTH OF BUSINESSES AND ACCESS TO CITY CONTRACTS

MAYOR WU LAUNCHES $750,000 GRANT FUND TO SUPPORT GROWTH OF BUSINESSES AND ACCESS TO CITY CONTRACTS Starting April 10th, small, local businesses can apply for grants up to $15,000 to help address critical operating needs and grow capacity

BOSTON - Friday, March 31, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu today relaunched the City of Boston’s Contracting Opportunity Fund with $750,000 available to help small, local businesses build their operational capacity and level the playing field for historically disadvantaged businesses interested in City contracts. The fund is part of Mayor Wu’s comprehensive approach to addressing disparities in the awarding of City contracts to small and diverse firms. Grants up to $15,000 will be available to qualified businesses that submit a competitive application. Funds may be used, among other things, to purchase new equipment, expand a business’ rental space, acquire bonding or insurance, and provide other operating needs to allow the company to scale to the next level. The fund was designed through extensive dialogues and community conversations with small, diverse business owners to address barriers to business success in public contracting identified in the City’s 2020 Disparity Study. The study confirmed that businesses owned by women and people of color are widely available to perform City contracts, but are substantially underrepresented in the City’s spending on construction, professional services, and goods. This grant program is part of Mayor Wu’s commitment to support these small, minority- and women-owned businesses in becoming certified vendors and to make Boston an economically equitable city that offers opportunities for all communities to build wealth through business ownership. “We must use every tool possible to break down barriers for businesses looking to win City contracts, expand economic opportunity, and ensure Boston is a city for everyone," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "The relaunching of the Contracting Opportunity Fund will help small, local businesses build their capacity and expand opportunity for our minority-owned and women-owned small businesses.” This year, the Contracting Opportunity Fund will have a strong preference for funding applicants that operate businesses in a set of priority sectors in which the City does substantial contracting. Certified MBEs (minority-owned business enterprise), WBEs (woman-owned business enterprise), SLBEs (small local business enterprises), and City-recognized VBEs (veteran-owned enterprises) in the following sectors are encouraged to apply for grant funding: waste collection and management, snow removal, landscaping, design and architectural services, food and dining services, and construction (plumbing & hvac services; electrical work; general contracting services; roofing, siding, and flooring work; insulation, drywall, masonry, and weatherproofing work). Applicants must be certified with the City of Boston’s Supplier Diversity Program. More information about business certifications is available here. These priority sectors have been chosen based on areas of high City spending, and will also be the focus of a new business accelerator pilot program launching this fall. Businesses selected to participate in this program will receive personalized and general consulting services, financial management tools, and City procurement support that will help them grow and prepare to bid on larger contracts in their industries. This program will build on Mayor Wu’s commitment to help diverse businesses become City contractors by bringing together City departments and business service organizations to provide a new level of intensive, sector specific technical assistance to help transform the City’s supplier base.    The Contracting Opportunity Fund application will be available here on Monday, April 10th at 12 p.m. Those interested can sign up here to receive an email notification from the Department of Supplier Diversity’s newsletter. “This fund is yet another tool that this Administration is using to ensure we are investing in diverse companies and expanding opportunities to do business with them,” said Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. “Mayor Wu and our team are focused on responding to what we are hearing from local companies by filling funding gaps and removing any barrier to reaching our goal of creating equity in the City’s procurement process.” In Spring 2022, the City’s Department of Supplier Diversity provided grants of up to $15,000 for certified MBE, WBE, SLBE, and City recognized VBEs to support capacity-building activities. A total of $1 million was awarded to 71 businesses, of which 71% were certified minority-owned businesses and 8% were women-owned businesses. At least 8 businesses that received past Contracting Opportunity Fund grants went on to win City contracts.  “The Boston Opportunity Fund has helped boost my business by giving me the ability to fund the necessary insurance coverage to help with growth,” said Brittany McLemore, owner of Breezie Cleaning and Janitorial Services. Breezie Cleaning and Janitorial Services is a Roxbury-based small and women-owned business that was awarded a contract to provide cleaning services for a City-owned building in Roxbury.  The renewal of this fund builds on significant investments made by the City of Boston in supplier diversity and equitable procurement initiatives since February of 2021 when it established annual City spending goals of 25% to women and minority-owned businesses. In May 2022, Mayor Wu and Boston Public Schools awarded City Fresh Foods, a Roxbury-based employee- and Black-owned food service company, a contract with a project value over $17 million, the largest non-construction contract to certified Black-owned business. In December 2022, the City awarded three companies owned by women or people of color with snow removal contracts, with two of those contracts being part of the City of Boston’s Sheltered Market Program to advance equity in procurement with direct outreach support from the Department of Supplier Diversity.  In December 2021, Mayor Wu filed an order, later approved by the City Council, that allowed Boston to designate up to six City contracts for procurement from minority- and women-owned businesses. Through key investments in staffing and programmatic needs, the City is implementing new initiatives that seek to address the past and present effects of discrimination, disparities, obstacles, and barriers in its procurement process that impact minority-owned and women-owned businesses. More information is available here. This renewal also builds on Mayor Wu’s years of commitment to require equitable City contracting and close the racial wealth gap. In 2016, then-Councilor Wu and then-Councilor Ayanna Pressley presided over the City Council hearing that examined the City’s procurement process and efforts to support local businesses. In 2017, Mayor Wu and Congresswoman Pressley co-sponsored an ordinance as City Councilors that required the City to collect more data on contracting. Mayor Wu passed a groundbreaking ordinance that required the City of Boston to shift its food procurement practices to meet certain standards around racial equity, fair pay for workers, environmental sustainability, and nutrition.

Secretary Santiago Pays Tribute to Vietnam Veterans in Worcester, Visits Project New Hope Inc.

 Secretary Santiago Pays Tribute to Vietnam Veterans in Worcester, Visits Project New Hope Inc.

WORCESTER, MA -- Commemorating the 50^th 

anniversary of the United States’ withdrawal of troops from Vietnam, Executive Office of Veterans’ Services Secretary Jon Santiago paid tribute to the service and sacrifice of Massachusetts veterans at the Vietnam War Veterans’ Day ceremony in Worcester on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Secretary Santiago was joined by local officials including Mayor Joseph Petty, City Manager Eric Batista and City of Worcester Veterans’ Services director Alex Arriaga.

 

Santiago spoke to an audience of Vietnam veterans and their families about the importance of honoring the sacrifices of those who served and rededicating ourselves to the ideals of sacrifice and service. After the speaking program, Santiago, joined by Gold Star Wives, laid a commemorative wreath at the Memorial site in memory of the more than 1,500 Massachusetts men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War.

 

“Like the families of those who lost a loved one and our Vietnam Veterans, each one of us here today bears a responsibility to live a life that honors that sacrifice, and to ensure that it was not lost in vain,” said Santiago. “Today’s Vietnam Veterans’ Day is a poignant reminder of the need to expand services and resources to support our veterans.”

 

“I want to recognize the organizers of today’s event and thank Secretary Santiago for attending,” said Mayor Joseph M. Petty. “I’m proud that the City of Worcester is home to the Commonwealth’s Vietnam Memorial and I want to recognize the continued contribution from the state delegation who keep this memorial beautiful.”

 

“I am grateful to Massachusetts Secretary of Veterans’ Services Jon Santiago for his visit to Worcester to learn more about the needs of our veteran community and honor our Vietnam veterans on National Vietnam War Veterans’ Day,” said City Manager Eric D. Batista. “The City of Worcester is proud to host the Massachusetts Vietnam Veterans' Memorial at Green Hill Park and remains committed to preserving the memory of all veterans who have bravely served our country.”

 

“I would like to thank Secretary Jon Santiago for visiting the City of Worcester today and engaging in meaningful conversations with our community partners, veterans, and their families to learn about the needs in the city,” said Worcester Director of Veterans’ Services Alex Arriaga.

 

“We were honored that Secretary Santiago was able to visit and tour Project New Hope to meet with our staff and learn about our veteran retreats, Sully’s Baby and Food Pantries, Connecting the Dots Case Management and other resources we provide in Central Mass. As a fellow veteran, Secretary Santiago understands the needs of veterans and our families. I am thankful for his enthusiasm to meet three weeks into his term as Secretary and look forward to working with him and his team to serve our veterans each day here in Central Mass,” said Bill Moore.

 

For more information about the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services, visit mass.gov/veterans.