Lewiston - Pictured: American Legion 3rd District Department of Maine, Public relations Historian and Lewiston Auburn Veterans Council Member, Paul R. Bernard displays this year’s Veterans Day poster approved by the Veterans Day National Committee, Department of Veterans Affairs, United States of America. At the unveiling of the 14th "Memorial Stone", the Veterans Day laminated photo was presented to the Lewiston Auburn Veterans Council.

 

Veterans Day Observance

November 11th, 2007

 

Lewiston – The Lewiston Auburn Veterans Council held a special Veterans Day observance with color guards and a musical tribute Sunday, November 11th at the Lewiston Armory on Central Avenue.

All veterans, family and friends and the general public were invited.

Congressman Michael Michaud talked to veterans prior to the ceremony. As chairman of the Veterans Affairs Health Subcommittee, he stated that the week before veterans Day, the United States House of Representatives sent the largest increase in funding for veterans health care in the 77 year history of the Department of Veterans Affairs to the President of the United States.  

 

The schedule of events for the day included:

 

7:00 to 8:30 am Captain Gus Leblanc of Lewiston High School hosted a free "No Cost"  “Veterans Breakfast” sponsored by the Maine Cadet Corps, Lewiston High School and the Lewiston Auburn Veterans' Council. The breakfast was for Veterans & family Members which was served by the Green Ladle, culinary art students at the Lewiston High School Cafeteria.

 

Military groups serve veterans breakfast
 Monday, December 17, 2007

 

Lewiston Auburn Veterans Council Chairman Willie Danforth, center, assists Cadet Dustin Record, right, prepare for color guard duty at the Veterans Day celebration at the Lewiston Armory while Cadet Devyn Maurais looks on.

Military groups serve veterans breakfast

 

LEWISTON - Veterans Day 2007 began with a breakfast for Lewiston-Auburn veterans at Lewiston High School.
The breakfast, attended by approximately 100 service men and women, was hosted by the Maine Cadet Corps, Military Cadets of Southern Maine, Lewiston High School Air Force Junior ROTC and the Lewiston-Auburn Veterans Council.
Cadets welcomed area veterans and served a breakfast of eggs, bacon, ham, beans, rolls, coffee and juice. After breakfast time was taken for a musical tribute to each of the armed services followed by an address by Willie Danforth, Lewiston Auburn Veterans Council Chairman.
The breakfast was organized by the Military Cadets of Southern Maine and is expected to be an annual event in celebration of Veterans Day in Lewiston Auburn.

 

 

Don Gosselin, American Legion Post 135 is securing the American Flag as a backdrop for the salute to all veterans. Lewiston Auburn Veterans Council Chairman, "Willie" Danforth, Franco American War Veterans Post 31, is wrapping up the last few loose ends before the program begins.

 

 

9:15 am Color guard groups, including military, Veterans organizations, auxiliaries, fraternal, social and youth organizations from the third district will line up for pass and review. The Marine Corps League, Central Maine Detachment 810 enjoyed the socializing before the event.

 

 

10:00 am Musical Tribute saluting all Veterans.

Wilfred "Willie Danforth, Franco American War Veterans Commander served as Master of ceremonies. American Legion, Post 111 Chaplain, Paul R. Bernard gave the Invocation at the Veterans Day service and at the Veterans Park unveiling of the 14th "Memorial Stone". Also featured was the Just Us entertainers along with the Edward Little High School and Lewiston High School bands. A host of patriotic songs were sung along with a solo performance

(dignitaries scheduled to attend were: United States Senator, Olympia Snowe, the office sent a representative, United States Congressman Michael H. Michaud, State Senator Peggy Rotundo,  Mayor Larry Gilbert of Lewiston, a Vietnam Veteran and Mayor John Jenkins of Auburn, Jerry DerBoghosian American Legion Post 22 (pictured).

 

Students Honor Veterans
Tuesday, November 27, 2007

 

Lewiston - Lewiston Middle School Team, Eighty Two students greeted veterans and residents at the Lewiston Armory with more than One Hundred "Thank You for Serving" cards on November 11th, Veterans Day Musical Tribute. Cards were decorated by approximately Ninety Team Eighty Two students and presented to veterans and friends of veterans.

Pictured front from left are Amber Langlois, Linsey House, Brendon Moore, Krista Thomas, Krista Coady and Brandon Tiner.

back row from left, Paige Leblond, Sarah Patterson, Kasidy Stevens, Eric Michaud, Ricardo Juco and Mckenzie Masselli.

 

1:00 pm A special ceremony of the unveiling of the 14th Memorial Veterans Stone will be held at the Veterans Park. It will bring the total of veterans names listed on the memorial stones to 3,024.

 

Veterans Day originally called Armistice Day, commemorated the end of World War I on November 11, 1918. Fighting stopped at 11 am, the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Today, Veterans Day honors all living and dead, who served with the U.S. armed forces.

 

An article that ran in the newspaper twice drew some of the participants on veterans day to take the "Firehouse Chili" offer from the Professional Firefighters to the test. The Congressman, Mayor Jenkins, Bert Dutil, and a host of others left the "Musical Tribute" to test the "Firehouse Chili" before the unveiling of the 14th "Memorial Stone".

  

Firefighters to serve "Chili" meal for Veterans
 Thursday, November 8, 2007

AUBURN - The Professional Firefighters of Maine will host Maine's veterans at a free "Firehouse Chili" luncheon from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, November 11th, to honor Veterans Day. The meal will take place at the Auburn American Legion Post 153, located at 71 South Main St., New Auburn.
Firefighters from the association's District 3, which includes Lewiston, Auburn, Augusta, Bath, Brunswick, Gardiner and Rockland, will serve up bowls of "Firehouse Chili" and cornbread to veterans, their families and the public. All are invited.
The event is a way to say thank-you from those on the front lines at home to those on the front lines around the globe.
For more information, contact Michael Scott at 576-2234 or mikescott@pffmaine.org.

 

Twin Cities pause to honor veterans
By David A. Sargent , Special to the Sun Journal
 Monday, November 12, 2007

LEWISTON - The public address system wasn't working, a cold wind was blowing across Veterans Memorial Park and a large crowd waited patiently for the Sunday afternoon Veterans Day program to begin.

"I want you to take time to think of a veteran," shouted Willie Danforth, chairman of the Lewiston and Auburn Veterans Council. He told people to think of soldiers who endured desert heat in Iraq or a frigid battlefield in Korea.
"They stood out in the heat and the cold. They're doing it now," he said. "I just wanted you to realize that, and I honor everyone who's here today."
The occasion was the unveiling of a 14th memorial stone in a Veterans Day Observance organized by the Lewiston and Auburn Veterans Council.

Speeches were brief and the crowd quickly gathered around the tall granite stone with the latest additions to more than 3,000 area veterans' names.
Friends and family members took photos of names on the stone, including five members of the Daigle family - Normand G. Daigle, U.S. Army in World War II; as well as Robert R.; Donald; Stanley; and John R., who were in the U.S. Army, Marines and Air Force from the Korean War through peacetime.
Former Marine and Vietnam Veteran, Warren K. Clark points to his name on the 14th "Memorial Stone" left. Vietnam Army Veteran, Roger Martel points to his name on the 14th "Memorial Stone" above left & right.

Danforth also presided at a musical tribute to veterans held before noon at the Lewiston Armory. The program, also organized by the Lewiston and Auburn Veterans Council, featured selections by the "Just Us" vocal entertainers.

 Lewiston Mayor Larry Gilbert, a Vietnam veteran, reminded the audience at the armory that appreciation should be expressed to veterans every day.
"We need not have ceremonies as a reason to stop by Veterans Memorial Park," he said. He urged people to visit and to sit on the memorial benches there "to quietly reflect on the services of these men and women, but also to pray for the safety of those now serving."

 Auburn Mayor John Jenkins emphasized the importance of faith and the significance that small groups of citizens, such as America's forefathers, have had in changing the world.
He also urged the audience not to forget the plight of thousands of veterans who are homeless.

In his remarks, United States Representative Michael H. Michaud, a Democrat, held up a copy of a thank-you-to-veterans card that had been produced by Lewiston Middle School students and passed out at the armory.

"I want to thank those students," he said. "It's extremely important that we take the time to talk with the younger generation" about the accomplishments of veterans, he told the crowd. World War II veteran Roland Samson of South Paris is comforted by Sue Parsons of Otisfield during the playing of "God Bless America" at the Veterans Day Observance in Lewiston on Sunday. Samson had a front row seat at the Lewiston Armory with other residents of the Maine Veterans Home in South Paris. Parsons is a volunteer at the veterans home.

A statement from United States Senator Olympia J. Snowe, a Republican, was read. State Senator Peggy Rotundo, D-Lewiston, spoke at the armory and state Representative Elaine Makas, D-Lewiston, addressed the crowd at the park. The mayors of the two cities spoke at both the armory and the park events.
Several color guard units passed in review before a group of veterans in front of the armory stage, and many family groups watched from the balcony. Lewiston brothers Laurien left, Larry and Normand Kirouac attend the Veterans Day Observance at the Lewiston Armory on Sunday. Laurien 80, fought in Italy during World War II. Larry 87, landed in France during the Battle of Normandy in World War II and Normand 76, fought for the Army's 25th Infantry Division during the Korean War. Anna Kirouac, Normand's wife, is at right.
Korean War veteran, Arthur Paradis marched with the veterans of foreign war, Irene F.B. Pomerleau sang with the "Just Us Singers", and Vietnam Era Veteran, Paul R. Bernard, Chaplain offered the invocation at the Armory and the Park. Representatives of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard marched past as each service's song was sung by the entertainers. A contingent of uniformed members of Lewiston High School's Air Force Junior ROTC and members of the Knights of Columbus color guard marched, as well as members of James Longley/Normand Dionne Post 9150 and Capt. Frank W. Hulett Post 1603, both posts of the Veterans of Foreign Wars; Post 31 of the Franco-American War Veterans, the Marine Corps League; and Boy Scout Troop 153 of New Auburn.
Daryn Slover is caught in front of the lens by Paul R. Bernard, Public Relations Historian, American Legion as he records notes of the event. Slover is usually behind the camera.

The combined bands of Edward Little and Lewiston high schools also performed.
Earlier Sunday, Lewiston Regional Technical Center culinary arts students from the Green Ladle served a complimentary breakfast to about 100 veterans and family members at Lewiston High School cafeteria.

 

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