May 30, 2006
Perkins School to hold Recognition Day -
Bishes among the honorees
Karen Nugent, Worcester
Telegram & Gazette (MA)
LANCASTER - The Perkins School will honor John J. and Magi Bish,
along with Kathleen McGrail, special education director for the Clinton
public schools, and Marilyn H. Fratturelli, Leominster school
superintendent.
Also to be honored are Thomas N. and Annette Hamilton Morris of Lancaster,
for community service, and Ellen Serafin, the day program nurse at the
school.
The annual Recognition
Day ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on June 17 at the school's main
campus, 971 Main St. (Route 70).
The Bishes will receive the distinguished service award for community
service, in recognition of their efforts for child safety.
Police believe their daughter, Molly Bish, 16, was abducted from Comins Pond
in Warren in June 2000 while working as a lifeguard. Her remains were found
in a wooded area in Palmer in June 2003. No one has been charged in her
death, although the investigation is continuing.
Among several child protection projects, the Bishes have established the
Molly Bish Center at Anna Maria College in Paxton and the Molly Bish
Institute for Child Health and Safety at Mount Wachusett Community College
in Gardner.
Both offer training, education and research to help families, police,
teachers, social workers and other professionals prevent and address
offenses against children.
Ms. McGrail, who is retiring at the end of the school year, will get the
distinguished service award for special education in honor of her 36 years
of steadfastly providing for children with special needs.
She has been a teacher, team leader and director of special education in
Clinton, her hometown.
Ms. Fratturelli, who is also retiring this year, will get the distinguished
service award for education for her 40 years as a teacher, principal and
superintendent in Leominster.
The Morrises will receive the community service award for their involvement
in Lancaster, including decades of running the local Girl Scout troop,
serving on the Memorial Day and Veterans Memorial committees, volunteering
at town election polls, and supporting school sports.
Ms. Serafin will receive the award for service to Perkins students, in
recognition of her 12-year commitment. In particular, she will be saluted
for establishing the day program nursing office, with 90 regular patients,
and for her attention to detail.
The nonprofit Perkins School, founded in 1896, draws day and residential
students with special needs and behavioral problems.
November 11, 2003
State police laud Bish searchers
Author: KIM RING; STAFFThe Republican (Springfield, MA), kring@repub.com
FRAMINGHAM -
State police will honor a Warren couple and dozens of searchers who searched
for and found the remains of Warren lifeguard Molly Anne Bish
this summer.
The state police will present more than 70
awards tomorrow night at a ceremony at their headquarters in Framingham to
law enforcement officers and people who made significant contributions to
public safety.
Among those being honored are William R. and
Jane R. Dolan, a Warren couple who, during the nearly monthlong search for Bish, organized and served meals to the state and environmental
police searchers each day.
"We didn't want this," William Dolan said of
the award. "A lot of people helped us."
But Selectmen Chairman Michael A. Smith said
the couple is "more than deserving" of the Public Service Award.
In addition to the Dolans, state police
Superintendent's Unit Commendations will be awarded to the state police
canine unit, Special Emergency Response Team, and the Worcester and Hampden
County Detective Units for their work on the Bish case.
The specialized units searched for Bish's
remains during May and June of this year after part of her bathing suit was
found in a wooded area off West Warren Road near the Ware, Palmer and Warren
town lines.
Others who will be honored include a Greenfield
teen-ager who graduated from the student trooper program at the New
Braintree state police academy this year. Kyle A. Politis, along with James
Rodovich, of Deerfield witnessed a purse snatching, chased down the suspect
and held him until police arrived.
Springfield Police Detective David Standen and
state Trooper Liam R. Jones will receive superintendent's commendations for
arresting Ariel Vasquez, 25, of 77 Bell St., Springfield, in September.
When police attempted to arrest Vasquez during
a drug sweep, he fled and fired a shot at the officers, police said.
Others from the are who will be honored are:
- Dr. Matthew Tierney of Pittsfield for
rendering assistance at a motor vehicle accident along the Massachusetts
Turnpike.
- State police Sgt. Michael Habel of Conway and
other members of the Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section for their work.
- State Trooper Michael Barrett of the
Hampshire County Detective Unit for obtaining a federal grant that was used
to purchase computers and fund training for the tracking of Internet
predators.
- Lt. Marian McGovern of the state police
public affairs section for her work in coordinating the state's Amber Alert
system.
- Members of the Berkshire County Narcotics
Unit for a 12-year investigation that netted 17 arrests and the seizure of
about $700,000 in assets from the Pittsfield area.
November 14, 2002
Celtics to honor Bishes for work
HOLLY ANGELO; STAFF;
Union-News (Springfield, Mass.)
WARREN - During a timeout
in the first or second quarter of the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks
game tomorrow night a spotlight will shine on Magdalen M. and John J. Bish.
They will be deemed "Heroes Among Us" by the Boston
Celtics and given an award for their efforts to aid missing children and
their families on behalf of the Molly Bish "Life Guard" Center.
Since their daughter Molly Anne disappeared from the shores of Comins Pond
here June 27, 2000, the Bishes have fingerprinted and photographed 34,000
children to create child identification kits for parents.
"You don't see yourself as a hero," Magdalen Bish said yesterday. "You see
yourself doing things because it's right."
The game at Fleet Center in Boston starts at 8 p.m. and will be nationally
televised on ESPN.
The Celtics present the awards at each home game to individuals who have
made exceptional and lasting contributions to the community.
Since the program's inception in 1997, more than 220 people have been
honored. Other recipients include former Boston Bruins star Cam Neely for
his work on behalf of cancer patients and football player Doug Flutie and
his wife, Laurie, for their work on autism.
"It's honoring those individuals who have made an overwhelming impact on the
lives of others," said Jeffrey Twiss, vice president of media relations for
the Celtics. "With the high visibility of the Molly situation, we wanted to
recognize them for their efforts to go forth and help other families who
lose a son or daughter in this situation that Molly went through."
Magdalen Bish said she and her husband are humbled by the award, but see it
as another opportunity to get Molly's story out. Molly was just preparing
for her morning lifeguard duties when she was abducted. Police are still
investigating her disappearance, but no arrests have been made.
"Anything like this is an opportunity to be Molly's voice," Magdalen Bish
said. "We're just grateful they appreciate what we do."
Holly Angelo can be reached at
hangelo@union-news.com
September 27, 2002
Bish
kin to attend conference
KIM RING; STAFF;
Union-News (Springfield, Mass.)
WARREN - The parents of missing lifeguard Molly Anne Bish will
head to Washington next week for President Bush's National Conference on
Missing Exploited and Runaway Children.
John J. and Magdelen M. Bish are researching air fares
and planning a quick trip to the nation's capital after receiving an
invitation from the president asking them to attend the Oct. 2 gathering.
Molly disappeared from Comins Pond June 27, 2000, just as she was starting
her lifeguard duties for the day.
"We're both going to go," Magdelen Bish said. "We've been asking everyone to
write letters for us telling the president why we should go."
On a recent trip to Connecticut, the Bish family met with Gov. John G.
Rowland before a missing children's day event.
"He told us he knows President Bush," Magdelen Bish said. "So I said, 'Well,
maybe you could do us a little favor?'"
The Bishes also contacted Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and John F. Kerry, and
asked state Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, and state Rep. Reed V. Hillman,
R-Sturbridge, to intercede on their behalf.
"I called the White House and worked with the staff there," Hillman said. "I
think the Bishes are the foremost experts on missing children, and they have
a lot to offer at a conference like this."
Hillman said he also recommended that Sheree L. Greenwood, a Warren woman
who is a founding member of the Missing Children HAM Radio Club, attend the
conference.
Greenwood, a friend of the Bish family, coordinates a yearly HAM radio event
in which a special station contacts HAM radio operators around the world and
sends them cards adorned with photographs of missing children. Greenwood,
too, received an invitation to the conference.
"I'm very excited," she said. "I'd like to see more people involved with the
HAM radio aspect which could work with the Amber Alert system."
While some towns are implementing the Amber Alert system, it has not been
accepted by the state legislature, a goal the Bish family has been working
toward since Molly disappeared. Police are still searching for Molly's
abductor.
While Magdelen Bish is excited about the conference and the possibility that
she and her husband will get to see President Bush, her goal is to meet
first lady Laura Bush.
"I've written her four letters but I'm not sure she's gotten any of them,"
Magdelen Bish said. "It's she I really want to meet. Mother to mother, I'd
like to talk with her."
Kim Ring can be reached at
kring@union-news.com
May 8, 2002
Regional Digest,
Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)
City man's death under
investigation
WORCESTER -- The body of
Armand Forget, 47, was found at the bottom of an outside staircase at his
home at 83 Mill St. early yesterday morning.
Police Capt. Paul F. Campbell of the detective division said the
investigation was ongoing and that no cause of death had been determined. An
autopsy is being performed, he said. Police said the man's body was found
about 12:30 a.m. by a roommate. The incident had the appearance of being a
fall, but that has not been determined, police said.
Sen. Brewer is awarded two honors
State Sen. Stephen M. Brewer, D-Barre, has been named the recipient of a
Legislator of the Year award and an Outstanding Community Service in Support
of Education award.
The Massachusetts Office for Victims Assistance named Mr. Brewer Legislator
of the Year for his dedication to the investigation of Molly Bish's
disappearance. The Central Massachusetts Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa
International awarded Mr. Brewer the education award for his commitment to
and respect for education, which the organization said has been demonstrated
by his voting record in the state Legislature.
December 15, 2000
REGIONAL DIGEST
State Trooper Daniel H. Soto has been awarded the State Police Medal of
Valor for jumping into the Connecticut River from a boat ramp last August to
try to save a man who had plunged from the Memorial Bridge.
He was among
several Western Massachusetts residents to receive awards yesterday at State
Police Headquarters.
The man, who did not survive, was Philip Gattison, 43, who had disappeared
from a Springfield shelter where he was staying.
State Police Col. John DiFava said that heavy rain had caused the river
to swell, creating extremely hazardous conditions.
"Despite the strong current, Trooper Soto fought the raging river, swimming
to within several feet of the victim," he said.
But the current dragged the man under, and although Soto dived
repeatedly, he could not find him.
Another local resident, State Police Major Daniel E. Jamroz of South
Hadley, received a Medal of Merit.
Jamroz, 48, was recognized for his leadership of the Tactical
Operations Section and his role in local searches, such as that for Molly
Bish, the missing Warren lifeguard.
Two West Brookfield officers received Medals of Lifesaving for their work
with two state troopers in saving an unconscious man.
Harry A. Parker, 37, of Palmer and David J. Pierce, 34, of West
Brookfield were presented with the award for an incident on July 22 in which
a woman called to report that her husband was unconscious and not breathing.
Parker and Pierce administered oxygen and attached a defibrillator.
The victim was flown to Baystate Medical Center, where he lay in a coma for
two weeks. He is expected to make a full recovery.
Superintendent's awards were given to Environmental Officers Kevin
Maunsell of Westfield and John Tranghese and Anthony Tranghese of
Longmeadow. A superintendent's commendation went to Lt. Peter J. Higgins of
West Springfield.
