By Jordan Avery
Special To The Journal
When I first learned about the theft of the large flowerpots from the memorial dedicated to Lance Corporal Bradley J. Campus at Clark Park, my heart sank. Bradley, a 21-year-old Marine from Lynn, was one of the 241 American service members killed in the 1983 Marine barracks bombing in Beirut, Lebanon. His memorial, near the Clark Street playground, was a touching tribute to a local hero who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Marine veteran and retired Lynn Police Officer Charlie Griffin, who escorted Bradley’s body back home 40 years ago, was instrumental in getting this memorial installed. When Charlie discovered the flowerpots were missing, he initially thought city crews had put them into storage. Sadly, he later realized they had been stolen.
I felt an immediate urge to help and make sure this beautiful memorial could be restored. I reached out to several people to get in contact with Charlie Griffin. Then, as if by a stroke of fate, Lisa Pressman, President of Concerned Citizens, reached out to see if I would be interested in donating the funds to replace the stolen flowerpots. It was like a phone call from heaven.
Lisa, thank you for coordinating this and for always going above and beyond for our city of Lynn. It was a great “teamwork moment” Charlie Griffin, your lifelong dedication to serving our country and our community is truly inspiring.
Since before opening Massachusetts Green Retail, I’ve always said we aren’t just going to be another dispensary on a corner street in Lynn. We are committed to being great community members and giving back to the city that has given us so much. Today, I’m proud to announce that Mass Green Retail has donated a check to replace the stolen flowerpots and flowers at Bradley’s memorial.
At a young age, I was the recipient of the Jared Raymond Scholarship to attend Camp Rotary in Boxford. Specialist Jared J. Raymond, another local hero, was killed in action in Balad, Iraq in 2006. From that experience, I learned the importance of honoring and appreciating our veterans. This donation is a small token of appreciation for all those who have served.
With honor and gratitude, God Bless our Troops.