WAKEFIELD — Have you heard about the podcast featuring local veterans? Kilroy was Hear is a locally produced podcast inspired by two prolific storytellers Airforce Veteran Jim Cotter and Army Veteran and former Wakefield Police Officer Sam Stella who recorded the first episode one year ago in Wakefield Community Access Television Studios (WCAT).
The Room to Write recently presented a donation of $500 to WCAT Studios. The check was presented to Executive Director Ian McDermott in support of WCAT’s collaborative storytelling project with Wakefield Veterans Services Office. In the Fall of 2024, Cotter and Stella sat down in WCAT’s podcast studio to reflect on everything from military service to careers and life after service.
Sharing their stories aloud, through podcast with a fellow veteran, fostered comradery in a format that was accessible to those visually impaired audience members. Something very special happened in the studio that day with two veterans simply sitting down for a chat.
Airforce Veteran David Mangan, who is also the Veterans Services Officer for Wakefield was invited to sit down in the studio for the second episode. David transitioned into host with the added benefit of being able to share his knowledge of veterans benefits, services and support with veterans in the audience and their family members. The podcast took flight and now David sits down monthly with veterans to talk about their experiences, highlight veterans support services and encourage community.
Cotter and Stella’s conversation inspired other veterans to step into WCAT’s podcast studio. Thus far, eight veterans have shared their stories including Jerome Sweeney, Charles Dineso, Dr. David Frey, Jack Butler and Pasquale “Patsy” Zagaria who will also be the speaker and performer during Wakefield’s Veterans Day ceremony on November 11 at 11 a.m. at Wakefield’s Galvin Middle School. The most recent guest was New England regional President Gold Star Marion Dennehy. Her episode which is #10 in the series will air in December.
The Kilroy was Hear podcast is a unique opportunity to connect with fellow veterans about military service, history, service members to be remembered and life lessons to pass along to future generations. Each conversation is a unique way to connect, to share and to preserve. If you are a local veteran and would like to sit down and chat, contact Veterans Services Officer of Wakefield David Mangan at 781-246-6377 or drop into the Veterans Services Office located in the Wakefield Senior Center at 30 Converse St., Wakefield.
To listen to the podcast visit theroomtowrite.org where it is available on the Apple and Spotify podcast platform on the “Studio” page. The podcast is also available on WCAT’s YouTube playlist YouTube.com/@WCATWakefield/playlists. Click on Kilroy was Hear.
If you would like to support this program through a donation, please visit WCAT online at wcatwakefield.org and hit the “Donate” button or send check payable to WCAT Studios, P.O. Box 1708, Wakefield, MA with Kilroy was Hear on the memo line.