Granite steps up support for families of 'fallen'

On June 6, Granite Telecommunications, LLC, hosted its annual Granite Day carnival, which benefi ts Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and honors the memory of company owner Robert Hale Sr., who succumbed to pancreatic cancer in 2008. Open to the Quincy, Mass., community, Granite staff and attendees alike enjoyed infl atable rides, mini-golf, bounce houses, face painting, balloon animals, snow cones, and dance lessons, among other fun activities.

by Stephanie Southworth - Special to the Journal

It all started five years ago in Peter Trovato’s University of Massachusetts -Amherst dorm room with a $50 check from his parents. Today, Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund has raised $3 million to help defray college education costs for children of fallen Massachusetts’ servicemen and women.

But none of this would have been possible without the formation of a partnership between the MSL Fund and Granite Telecommunications, which has provided everything from financial support to advice on how best to meet its core mission.

The Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund wouldn’t have gotten off the ground if it wasn’t for the support of Rob Hale and Granite Telecommunications,” Trovato said.

It was Hale, CEO of Granite Telecommunications, whom Trovato first called after formulating an idea to recognize the losses endured by children whose parents had paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Trovato had met Hale while interning at Granite Telecommunications his senior year in college.

“Rob agreed to support the fund … and without the help of Granite and Rob taking a chance we wouldn’t be able to offer this support to these kids,” Trovato said.

Hale said Granite was flattered to be a part of Trovato’s cause.

“I liked the fact that the Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund was specific and a grass-roots effort to honor veterans and their families in our community,” Hale said. “Those were all the ingredients that mattered to us.”

In the past five years, the partnership between Granite Telecommunications and MSL Fund has grown. Today, Granite is the MSL Fund’s lead sponsor at the organization’s annual Leadership Event Breakfast that is held every year.

“The relationship between Granite Telecommunications and Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund has matured into something. ... Rob is the most important part of our board,” Trovato said.

When the MSL Fund first began, Hale said, its goal was to raise $600,000. The goal then moved to $2 million. Then $3 million. “We’ve eclipsed all of them,” he said.

Donations have grown on pace with the amount of children who are eligible for the MSL Fund. Five years ago, there were 20 children eligible. Now there are 51 children eligible to receive assistance from the MSL Fund. The MSL Fund awards up to $10,000 per year, per son or daughter attending a four-year college.

“We’d love to give full scholarships but as the number grows and the cost of education goes up … it’s still an internal goal,” Trovato said. “We try to provide as much support to each child as we can.” Both Trovato and Hale plan to continue the partnership.

“The partnership between Granite, Rob and the Massachusetts Soldiers Legacy Fund is too valuable not to try to continue,” Trovato said. “I can’t think of anything more Granite can do than they already have.” Hale added the partnership would continue until the wars end.

“Our mission will end when the war ends and with luck that won’t be much longer. However, we’ll be there as ’re honored to be a part of this cause,” Hale said.