Vincent McLean loves to write and tell stories, and he hopes he can use that gift to help inspire injured veterans.

McLean, a retired Niagara Falls science teacher and former aeronautical research scientist, is working with the Buffalo VA Medical Center on a plan to start writing workshops for injured veterans.

He hopes to use the proceeds from his self-published novel, Estate Sale, as a way to fund the workshops and other programs that would introduce the injured veterans to new skills.

A member of Niagara Falls Teachers, led by Joseph Catalano, McLean wants the workshops to help identify talented young writers who could use that skill in the world beyond the hospital.

"These men have become very depressed," said McLean, a disabled Army veteran of World War II. "So the idea is to get them involved in work of a competitive nature."

McLean drew on his own recollections of growing up during the Great Depression and serving in World War II to craft Estate Sale as period fiction.

Panel to study benefits

A 15-member panel will soon begin studying the health insurance benefits provided to retired public workers.

Gov. David Paterson last month issued an executive order establishing the Task Force on Retiree Health Insurance.

The executive order includes higher education employees at the State and City University systems, including community colleges.

Workers at public school districts, BOCES, vocational education and extension boards and Special Act districts are excluded.

The panel will be composed of several Paterson appointees as well as retiree, labor, non-union worker and state and local government representatives.

The task force will:

• Examine retiree benefits, including how benefits have been impacted by difficult fiscal times; and
• Examine the level and cost of benefits received by state public employees, including disparities between various recipients.

Task force recommendations cannot violate the provisions of any collective bargaining agreement, a point the governor recognized in the executive order.

The task force is expected to issue a final report June 1.

Scholarships available

Retiree Council 7 is accepting applications to its scholarship program through May 3.

Applicants must be the children or grandchildren of RC 7 members, and must be graduating this year from a public or private high school in New York whose staff is affiliated with NYSUT.

Applicants must be planning to continue their education at an accredited school, college or university.

The council will award up to three scholarships of $1,000 each.

To apply, contact Joanne Heisler at JH5012@aol.com, and type "RC 7 Scholarship" in the subject line.