BILLERICA — After surviving some of World War II’s fiercest battles, 100-year-old veteran Leo Valente still finds joy in life’s simpler moments, like visiting alpacas at the Billerica Community Farmers Market.
He and his daughter, Cheryl Valente, made a point to visit two alpacas, named Summer Rain and Lotte, brought to the market by Alpaca Ranch of Harvard on June 15. Leo lingered by the enclosure, smiling as he watched the animals.
“We were lifelong residents of Stoneham until last October, when all the pipes burst in our home,” Cheryl said. “The second floor collapsed, and we were lucky to make it out alive.”
With help from Clear Path for Veterans, they relocated to Haverhill. Cheryl said outings like the farmers market have taken on new meaning after the upheaval.
“We do a lot of events at Burlington Council on Aging, so a few years back we came to the Billerica farmers market and fell in love with it,” Cheryl said.
The Billerica Community Farmers Market is held Mondays from 3 to 7 p.m. at 793 Boston Road. Harvard Alpaca Ranch will be there again in September. For information, visit billericacommunityfarmersmarket.org.
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