Lynn schools band jazzes up holidays for disabled veterans

LYNN – The holiday season can be a difficult time for many, but the Lynn Public Schools Senior High School Jazz Band brought a little bit of joy to the season for a group of disabled veterans at St. Michael’s Hall on Tuesday night.For the 10th straight year, the band played the St. Michael’s Veteran’s Post #56 Christmas party with special attention given to the permanently disabled United States veterans visiting from the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Hospital in Bedford.”When I was appointed director of music 10 years ago I was approached by a wonderful and dedicated ‘true American’ and a retired veteran of our armed forces, the late Mr. Guy Noble,” said Lynn Public Schools Fine Arts Director Joe Picano. “Guy asked me if the band would be willing to play for these special veterans at their annual party, and we accepted.”Noble put the veterans’ Christmas program together two decades ago with help of volunteers from St. Michael’s Hall who would go to the hospital to visit and perform for the disabled veterans.In addition, the volunteers provide transportation for the disabled veterans from the hospital to Easter and Christmas dinner. The annual Christmas dinner has grown to feature the Jazz Band performance, gifts and a visit from Santa Claus.This year, Picano said the group at St. Mike’s is looking for volunteers to carry this tradition on as the volunteer group has dwindled over time.”The veterans at St. Mike’s are afraid it will dissolve unless new help comes forward,” he said. “We owe it to his great organization and our vets – without the help it is going to be hard to continue next year.”For more information or to volunteer, call St. Michael’s Hall at 781-595-9342.