GREENFIELD — Veterans and active military and their families will skate for free Saturday in memory of World War II Army veteran Stanley K. Holmes and in honor of Veterans Day.
Sponsored by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and Shirley Holmes, daughter of Mr. Holmes, who passed away Aug. 27, a few months shy of his 99th birthday. The free-skate event will be held Saturday at the Collins-Moylan Skating Arena on Barr Avenue starting at 4 p.m.
The idea to host a veterans’ skating event was influenced by Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy Barney Collins, whom Holmes said pushed her father around the rink on Veterans Day 2015 in his wheelchair.
Skate rentals will be available for free at the rink. To accommodate disabled veterans, Holmes said there will be hockey skating sleds.
“If someone is in a wheelchair they can stay in the chair,” she said, adding that wheelchairs will be available from the Franklin County TRIAD.
After free skating, which will run till 6 p.m., the Franklin County Sheriff’s Hockey Team will take the ice against a composite team from Belchertown’s police and fire departments. Hockey players from both teams will be available to push people around the rink.
The event is sponsored through donations by the community and local businesses. So far, Adams Donuts, Clarkdale Orchards, Hager’s Farm Market, Pine Hill Orchards, Stone Soup Cafe and Foster’s Supermarket have given to the cause, among others.
“We’re taking donations to cover rental costs and also some food,” Holmes said, noting a GoFundMe page that has been set up to facilitate donations. “Any money that’s left over we’re going to donate to Disabled American Veterans.”
Specifically, the money will go to the Scott Vetterling Chapter 33, based in Greenfield. Nationally, the organization for disabled veterans is chartered by the United States Congress.
The fund had raised $2,626, far surpassing an $1,800 goal. Of that money raised, $1,000 was donated by the GoFundMe team.
“I was impressed; that brought me to tears,” Holmes said about the donation.
Anyone who’d like to donate to the event can do so at www.gofundme.com/2r2gkhkc.
You can reach Andy Castillo
at: acastillo@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 263
On Twitter: @AndyCCastillo