The Rotary Club in Boothbay Harbor hosted its annual Veterans Appreciation Dinner on Thursday, Nov. 7. About 80 people attended. Club President-Elect Laurie Zimmerli emceed the evening, beginning with the Pledge of Allegiance, then passing the mic around the room asking each of the 38 veterans there to introduce themselves.

About a dozen Interact Club students provided table service, delivering plates of lasagna or chicken, busing tables, refilling drinks and serving cake. Tom Larson provided the pre-meal blessing before the mic was turned over to keynote speakers Mike Fritz and his grandson Trevor Cook.

Fritz began his military career in the Navy, his first tour being Vietnam. Originally from Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Fritz began his talk by saying he remembers a time in America when we didn’t honor our service members, and how important it was for him to receive a warm welcome home that took 40 years to attain. He and Cook recently participated in an Honor Flight weekend. Honor Flight Maine is a non-profit volunteer organization that provides Maine veterans with free, guided group trips to Washington, D.C. to tour, experience and reflect at their memorials, including fly-over sight-seeing. The program’s popularity has led to a wait list of over 400 veterans. Fritz described the weekend as deeply meaningful and well-considered by the organizers. Cook also remarked about the experience saying, “I don’t think I’ll ever experience anything like it again. It provides closure.”

Before the keynote address, Jim Singer spoke about the success of the Veterans Banner Program. He said there are now 495 of the banners hanging in the region’s communities. Images of the banners scrolled on a big screen throughout the evening. “When we began this program, we thought we might get 100-200, but we have 495 and we’re still taking orders,” he said.

David Patch of Veterans Helping Veterans, and a classmate of Fritz’s from the U.S. Naval Academy, spoke about the organization’s efforts to aid veterans in their time of need, often stabilizing and filling gaps in services as veterans await or need help filing for benefits. He remarked on one example where he was able to get a veteran off the street and into housing in one day by mobilizing a network of volunteers to take action. “We get about 30 calls (from veterans in need) a month,” he said.

After dinner and speeches, Interact Club President Abbie Clark offered thanks to our veterans and Rotary Club for the event before leading guests through songs divided by branch of service. Army veterans sang “And Those Caissons Go Rolling Along,” Marines sang “From the Halls of Montezuma,” Coast Guard members sang “Semper Paratus,” Air Force members sang “Wild Blue Yonder,” and Navy members sang “Anchors Aweigh.” Monica Churchill played keyboards for each.