The Rotary Club of Portland
3RD ANNUAL VETERANS APPRECIATION LUNCHEON
The Portland Rotary Club hosted the 3rd Annual Veterans Appreciation Luncheon on November 10th at the Italian Heritage Center in Portland. The event drew over 175 veterans and over 285 overall attendees, making the event the biggest Portland Rotary Luncheon yet.
Rotarian enthusiasm was evident in the beautiful patriotic room decor and the outreach extended to our guests by colleagues who welcomed our guests and their spouses. This is the third annual Veterans luncheon hosted by the Rotary Club of Portland, with leadership provided for the past two years by Charlie Frair and Paul Tully. Beautiful room decorations filled the Italian Heritage Center thanks to the dedication of Loretta Rowe and the organizing volunteer. Everyone enjoyed the celebratory sit-down lunch, made possible by the donations of individuals and businesses that supported this annual program.
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The luncheon was an afternoon of celebration that provided an opportunity for family, friends, and community members to commemorate and honor veterans. As part of the luncheon program, the Portland Rotary Club presented the Veterans Adaptive Sports and Training (‘VAST’) organization with a specially designed bicycle, as well as other equipment, for their rehabilitation program for Maine veterans.
Rotarians and friends with their gift of equipment to handicapped veterans (VAST)
An honor guard Flag Ceremony was led by the 1st Battalion 25th Marines with a Presentation of Colors, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Rotarian, and Marine Veteran Bob Traill followed by the singing of the National Anthem the "Star Spangled Banner", led by Kathy Grammer. Major Tom Wallin USMC was the officer in charge of the Honor Guard. A solo guitar tribute to veterans was performed by Denny Breau <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx5EAPSz7Gs> , who is a US Army veteran.
President Don Zillman is a veteran with the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps.; he presided over the meeting and program ceremonies. An invocation was led by Major Kim D'Amaro, of the Salvation Army. She is a Corps officer and the Area Coordintaor of the Greater Portland Salvation Army.
Among the many Veterans who attended was Robert Callahan who in 1942 enlisted in the US Marines. He reminded me and Rotarian Jim Willey that his daughter Kathryn Callahan <http://www.thecedarsportland.org/about/> was one of the first female members of the Rotary Club of Portland and she is the President & CEO of the Cedars.
Keynote speaker Representative Chellie Pingree, the Maine First District Congresswoman, thanked the Veterans and she recognized the enormous contribution given by Maine military service members. Even in the American Civil War, the participation from Maine was the highest in the Union Army. “Today should be a special day to recognize Veterans but it shouldn’t be the only day. We should honor our Veterans on every day,” she said. “We must remember to care for our returning Veterans”. She explained the support provided to Veterans through her constituent services.
Vice-Chairman of Veterans Count Joe Reagan spoke about being a veteran. “I thankful for every day when I can help others,” he said. The organization provides community outreach and financial assistance to veterans. He thanked Congresswoman Pingree for her outspoken veterans advocacy. Since the organization’s founding in 2007, 5,000 veterans and their families have been helped with $2.6 million in financial assistance. The agency Care Coordinators have interviewed and intervened in 112 suicide risk situations. “That means 112 veterans are still with us because of our care coordinators.” He explained how the organization views the care for all veterans as being our civic responsibility as American citizens.
Others among the veteran guests was Matthew Vieth who served in the US Coast Guard from 1999-2009, assigned Jonesport ME, among other places. Another guest was Nicki Pellenz, an Army, veteran from Maine, who served from 1990-2001, when she was stationed in North Carolina.
Two veterans who attended the “Honor Flight <https://www.honorflight.org/> ” program were guests. They were Army Veteran Frank Pasieka and Navy Veteran Wesley Cressley. Honor Flight is a non-profit program to help transport America’s Veterans to Washington, DC to visit those memorials dedicated to honor the service, and sacrifices of themselves and their friends.
A “Gift Compound Bows” presentation of a tricycle was made to the Veterans Adaptive Sports and Training (VAST) by Larry Gross, a Rotarian and Chief Executive Officer of the Southern Maine Agency on Aging, the agency that generously supported the special donation.
Closing the program was a Psalm read by Major D’Amaro. The Colors were retired with the program ended with the solemn playing of “Taps”, by trumpeter Betty Rines.