LYNN — Habitat PLUS, a veterans’ supportive-housing program in Lynn, hosted an in-person Christmas party for its 14 veterans Wednesday night.
The event was sponsored by Lynn’s GE Veterans Network/Council (GEVN) and the GE Good Neighbor fund.
Former Mrs. Claus in Lynn’s Christmas Eve Parade, and member of GEVN, Janet Melanson, started this Christmas party more than 10 years ago.
“We consider the veterans here like part of our family,” she said.
Melanson arranged for a Lynn Christmas parade float to arrive, carrying Santa, Mrs. Claus and all of the gifts for HP’s veterans — gifts donated by GEVN members. The float, a John’s Oil truck decorated with more than 20,000 LED lights and Santa’s reindeer, arrived blasting Christmas music through the speakers.
U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Patrick Burke, a veteran himself and vice president of GEVN said, “It’s really humbling to come see these men, and recharge them and just be part of their days. We try to come throughout the year and stay in touch with them and it just reminds us how fortunate we are.”
Susan Campbell, co-founder of Habitat PLUS (HP), started the organization to serve as a living memorial for her cousin, Stanley J. Egan, who served and was killed in Vietnam. Currently, they provide full support to 14 veterans.
Adam Rohan, a veteran who has lived at HP for six years said the Christmas party is something he looks forward to every year.
“GE sponsors us so it’s nice we do something for them,” he said. “They bring veterans and give us a few gifts, and we have all kinds of food. It’s a night for them to just gouge, and get me fatter.”
The GE Good Neighbor fund provided all of the food for the event, ranging from shrimp cocktail, charcuterie, cookies and pastries.
“We have a thing here called, ‘The Habitat PLUS 15.’ When you move in you’re getting an automatic 15,” said Rohan.
For more information on Habitat PLUS, visit its website at https://www.habitatplus.org/. For more information on GEVN, visit its website at https://jobs.gecareers.com/global/en/veterans.
