veteranscouncil2003

2003

Lewiston Auburn Veterans Council receives donation for proposed Veterans Park
Wednesday, April 9, 2003

LEWISTON - The Lewiston-Auburn Veterans Council has received a contribution of $500 from the Cavalier Town and Country Club bingo for the proposed Veterans Memorial Park.
The Veterans Memorial Park, to be located on Main Street adjacent to the Longley Bridge, will be one of the largest veterans memorial parks in the state.
The park will have a monument and eight flagpoles identifying all the services -- Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, as well as POW-MIA, state and city flags and the American flagpole. The park will also hold the names of up to 6,000 veterans. The cost to have name, branch of service and where served is $25. The names will include the living and deceased veterans.
The council is made up of American Legion Post 22, American Legion Post 153, American Legion Post 210, Disabled American Veterans and Auxiliary, Franco American Veterans Post 31 and Auxiliary, Marine Corps League, Military Order of the Purple Heart, South Paris, Veterans Foreign Wars Post 1603 and Auxiliary, Veterans Foreign Wars Post 9150 and Auxiliary and the Women Marines Association.
Bertrand A. Dutil, Chairman, Roland Cyr, Treasurer

Applications are open for names on new Veterans Memorial
Thursday, April 17, 2003

LEWISTON -- The Lewiston and Auburn Veterans Council is accepting applications from those who wish to have an individual name placed on special panels on a stone in the new Veterans Memorial Park.
The name of an individual who is in the military or has been in the military can be placed on the panel. The cost is $25 a name, and the council needs identification to prove that the individual was or is in the military, such as a copy of the discharge paper, DD214 or military photo ID.
For applications contact members Bert Dutil at 786-2305, Roland Cyr at 782-3057 or Armand Bussiere at 688-2291.
Donations are also needed for the monument which will hold the five services. All donations will be accepted. Those who can donate $500 or more can have their name on the back of the monument, which will stand around seven to 10 feet high.

American Legion, and Veterans Council plan Memorial Day Parade
Thursday, April 24, 2003

LEWISTON - The Lewiston Auburn Veterans Council is assisting American Legion Post 153 of Auburn to organize the Memorial Day parade, to be held Monday, May 26.
Marchers will line up at 9 a.m. and step off at 9:30 from Kennedy Park. All organizations interested in participating should contact Emmert Stuart, AL commander, at 782-1118.
The parade will end, after going into Auburn, at the new Veterans Memorial Park on Main Street.
A park dedication ceremony will be held after the parade. Six new flag poles will be dedicated, as well as two stones with name panels.
The names can be of any individual who has served in the military or is now serving. Those interested can submit an application, with an ID to prove military service and $25. For more information on the ceremony or for an application, call Bert Dutil at 786-2305, Armand Bussiere at 688-2291 or Roland Cyr at 782-3057.

Veterans Send Color Guard
Monday, April 28, 2003

AUGUSTA - The Franco American Veterans Post 31 and Auxiliary of Lewiston participated in Franco Day at the Capitol recently. The color guard presented the colors in the House and Senate opening sessions.
Members of the color guard attending were Bert Dutil, Willie Danforth, Jerry Dewitt, Bob Levesque and Lindy McCallum.
The post and auxiliary also had a display table providing information on their organization. They also manned a table showing the design of the new Veterans Memorial Park monument and the design of the name panels that will be placed in the park.

Veterans remove flags following Flag Day
Wednesday, July 16, 2003

AUBURN -- Members of Franco American War Veterans Post 31 and Auxiliary, as well as members of American Legion Post 22 and VFW Post 9150, who put up the flags on veterans' graves for Memorial Day, picked them up after Flag Day at St. Peter's Cemetery.
Taking part were Maurice Dutil, Willie Danforth, Al Landry, Armand and Brenda Bussiere, three brothers, Lorenzo, Laurier and Normand Kirouac, Claudette Anniance, Helen Hebert, Monique and Marcel St. Pierre, Bob Grandmaison, Winnie and Bill Pelletier, Georgette Cain, Richard Valley, Arthur Paradis, Leandre Buteau, Irene Cote, Alexis Noel, Krissy Poulin and Bert Dutil.
The flags are purchased by the city of Lewiston and the city asked veterans' organizations to place the flags each year.

"Memorial Stones" to be Unveiled
Thursday, July 3, 2003

LEWISTON - The program for the unveiling of three stones with the names of veterans or military personnel will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, July 4, at the Veterans Memorial Park.
Melissa Noel, whose grandfather's and father's name are on one of the stones, will sing the national anthem. The Rev. Roland Nadeau, associate pastor at Saints Peter and Paul and St. Patrick's parishes and a Vietnam veteran, will give the invocation.
An explanation of the stones will be presented, then the stones will be unveiled. The fund-raising project to build a monument will be discussed. Veterans hope the monument will be ready by Memorial Day 2004. The program will end with the singing of "God Bless America."
The unveiling is under the direction of the Lewiston and Auburn Veterans Council, with Chairman Bert Dutil, Secretary Bertha Dunbar, Treasurer Roland Cyr and Fund-Raising Chairman Armand Bussiere.
Also involved are members of American Legion Posts 22, 153 and 210; Disabled American Veterans Chapter 11 and Auxiliary; Franco American War Veterans Post 31 and Auxiliary; Marine Corps League Central Maine Detachment; Military Order of the Purple Heart, South Paris; Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts 1603 and 9150 and auxiliaries; and the Women's Marine Association, Semper Fi Chapter.

"Memorial Stones" Honoring Veterans Revealed in Ceremony
Thursday, July 24, 2003

LEWISTON -- The Lewiston Auburn Veterans Council unveiled the stones honoring veterans on July 4 in Veterans Memorial Park.
Around 400 people attended the ceremony. Melissa Noel sang the national anthem and "God Bless America." The Rev. Roland Nadeau, associate pastor of Saints Peter and Paul and St. Patrick's parishes and a Vietnam veteran, gave the invocation.
The unveiling of the three stones was performed by Council Chairman Bert Dutil, American Legion past National Commander William Rogers, and American Legion Post 22 chaplain for 30 years, Alfred Joe Bisson.
The next stone or stones will be unveiled on Nov. 11. Anyone who would like an application to have a name inscribed on the stones should contact any of the three council members responsible for the project: Bert Dutil, 786-2305; Roland Cyr, 782-3057; or Armand Bussiere, 688-2291.

Musical Tribute to Honor Veterans
Monday, November 10, 2003
A special ceremony will be held to unveil stones dedicated to those who served in the military.

LEWISTON - The Musical Tribute to Veterans will take place at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, at the Lewiston Armory on Central Ave. Participants will include military, veterans, fraternal and youth organization which will pass in review.
Mayor Norm Guay of Auburn and Councilor Ronald Jean of Lewiston will be the speakers. Retired Chaplain Donald Miller will be giving the invocation. The Lewiston and Edward Little High School bands and color guards will perform, and also the Just Us Singers. Everyone is welcome to attend and pay tribute to all veterans. There is no admission to this entertaining program.
At 1:30 p.m. two new stones with names of veterans or those in the military will be unveiled. Singing the National Anthem will be Melissa Noel and invocation will be by the Rev. Ronald Nadeau. The stones will be unveiled by Gen. Robert Winglas and Joe Paradis. If it rains, the ceremony will be postponed until 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15.

Two "Memorial Stones" added at Veterans Park
Wednesday, December 3, 2003

LEWISTON - The Lewiston and Auburn Veterans Council has added two new stones with the names of military or veteran personnel at the Veterans Memorial Park on Main Street.
General Robert Winglass and Joseph Paradis, Post 22, American Legion, unveiled the stones on Veterans Day. More will be unveiled in Memorial Day ceremonies on Saturday, May 29.
Any military personnel or veterans may have their name on the stones. For an application, call one of the following and they will send a form: Chairman Bert Dutil, 786-2305; Vice Chairman, Armand Bussiere, 688-2291; or Treasurer Gerry Cain, 782-6621. Include a copy of discharge DD214 or other documents proving service in the military. The copies will be kept in the council's files

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