On Wednesday morning, hundreds of veterans and their families gather over pancakes at a historic armory on Grove Street. Outside, preparations will be underway for a parade that has become one of the city’s enduring traditions.
But beyond the breakfast, marching bands and patriotic ceremonies, Veterans Day also offers Worcester an opportunity to consider what it means to support the men and women who served—not just for one day, but throughout the year. The city’s 73rd annual Veterans Day observance, which also marks the 108th annual commemoration of Armistice Day, takes place Wednesday, Nov. 11, with a free community breakfast, parade, remarks by city leaders and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Massachusetts Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Green Hill Park.
The day begins at Veterans Inc., the Worcester-based nonprofit that provides housing, counseling, employment assistance and other services to veterans and their families.
Its annual Veterans Day Pancake Breakfast and Celebration is expected to bring together more than 300 veterans and their families at the organization’s historic armory and headquarters, 69 Grove St. The free breakfast, taking place 8:30-10:30 a.m., features homemade pancakes, eggs, potatoes, sausage and other offerings. A patriotic children’s corner includes arts and crafts, a bounce house and family activities.
The gathering is open to the public, and advance registration is requested at veteransinc.org/events.
At 11 a.m., Worcester’s annual Veterans Day Parade steps off from the corner of Glennie and Grove streets, proceeding to Veterans Inc. headquarters. The parade is part of a series of ceremonies recognizing military service, sacrifice and the continuing contributions of veterans to the community.
Mayor Joseph Petty, City Manager Eric D. Batista and United Way of Central Massachusetts President and CEO Tim Garvin are scheduled to deliver remarks outside Veterans Inc. beginning at 11:45 a.m.
The observance ends with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Massachusetts Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Green Hill Park from 1 to 2 p.m.
Beyond the ceremonies
For Bruce R. Mendelsohn, Worcester’s director of veterans services and a former U.S. Army officer, Veterans Day is also an opportunity to remind residents that assistance is available to veterans and their families throughout the year.
“The City of Worcester’s Veterans’ Services Division works year-round to connect veterans and their families with state (Chapter 115) and federal (VA) benefits, guidance, and local and regional resources,” Mendelsohn told the Worcester Guardian.
The division helps eligible veterans and their families navigate the sometimes complicated systems governing state and federal benefits, while connecting them with organizations that can provide additional assistance. Mendelsohn said the office works with veterans of all ages, although many of those seeking services are seniors, reflecting national demographics. The division recently relocated from City Hall to the third floor of the Worcester Senior Center, a change Mendelsohn hopes veterans and their families will become aware of.
“When veterans need additional support, our staff coordinates and communicates with city and community partners, such as the Division of Homeless Services, Project New Hope, Veterans Inc., and others,” he said.
The city’s responsibilities also extend to preserving the physical reminders of military service throughout Worcester.
In addition to assisting living veterans, the division oversees the maintenance of more than 350 veterans memorials, monuments and squares spread across the city’s 38.6 square miles.
Mendelsohn, who previously worked for the MassHire Central Region Workforce Board, was appointed to lead the division by Batista. His military career included service as a platoon leader with the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea and as an executive officer with the 8th U.S. Army in Germany.
In an earlier interview with the Worcester Guardian following his appointment, Mendelsohn described the difficulties veterans and their families can encounter when seeking assistance.
“Beyond lifelong service-related health issues many of us face (issues that can be visible and invisible),” he said, “veterans and their families or caregivers often get frustrated trying to navigate the policies, procedures, and systems that govern the allocation and distribution of services and benefits for which they may be eligible.”
His priorities have included increasing awareness of veterans services, engaging younger residents in patriotic observances and improving the city’s veterans memorials.
The city’s Veterans’ Services Division also supports efforts to develop Purple Heart and Gold Star Families memorials on Worcester Common.
A Worcester organization with a wider reach
Veterans Inc., which hosts Wednesday’s breakfast, has been providing services to veterans since its founding in Worcester in 1990.
The nonprofit reports having assisted more than 130,000 veterans in need over the past 36 years and now operates programs in all six New England states, as well as Montana and North Dakota. Its services include housing assistance, behavioral health counseling, employment and job training, benefits advocacy, transportation, temporary financial assistance, food programs and support for women veterans and families with children.
The organization’s work addresses needs that can persist long after military service ends, including housing instability, financial hardship, health challenges and difficulty accessing benefits.
Wednesday’s breakfast follows another of the nonprofit’s major community events, the annual Run4Veterans 5K at Polar Park on Sunday, Nov. 8. The race brought participants together to raise support for veterans and their families, with opportunities to run, walk, roll or sponsor a veteran.
Both events are part of Veterans Inc.’s efforts to connect the community with the needs of former service members, although the Veterans Day breakfast is free and open to the public.
For Worcester residents, the Nov. 11 observance offers several ways to participate, whether by attending the breakfast, watching the parade, joining the ceremonies or learning more about the services available to veterans.
Mendelsohn encouraged residents to take part in the parade and help spread awareness of the resources available to local veterans.
He also invited residents to connect with the Veterans’ Services Division about civic service opportunities and patriotic activities throughout the year.
Veterans Day schedule
The city’s Veterans Day observances take place Wednesday, Nov. 11, with the following events:
8:30-10:30 a.m.: Veterans Inc. Pancake Breakfast and Celebration, 69 Grove St. Free and open to the public. Advance registration requested at veteransinc.org/events.
11 a.m.: Worcester Veterans Day Parade, beginning at Glennie and Grove streets and ending at Veterans Inc., 69 Grove St.
11:45 a.m.: Veterans Day remarks at Veterans Inc., featuring Mayor Joseph Petty, City Manager Eric D. Batista and United Way of Central Massachusetts President and CEO Tim Garvin.
1-2 p.m.: Wreath-laying ceremony at the Massachusetts Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Green Hill Park.
Organizations interested in participating in the parade may contact veterans@worcesterma.gov.
Veterans and families seeking assistance from the city can contact the Worcester Veterans’ Services Division, now located on the third floor of the Worcester Senior Center. Information is available at worcesterma.gov/veterans-services.
