Due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak forcing the Governor to reassess event crowd limits, the Veterans Plaza Organizing Committee has had to announce a major change to the Veterans Day, Nov. 11 Dedication Ceremony. To conform to the new regulations, the celebration will go on as planned, but now must be staged off site and with no audience in attendance. Instead, starting at 10:30 a.m. people are asked to link with http://veteransplaza.info/Live

The program will begin with two 15 -minute videos featuring both the development of the Plaza concept, followed by a chronicle of the recent construction of the new $400,000 memorial. At 11 a.m. the official Dedication Ceremony will begin and feature speakers to include both U.S. Senators Collins and King, several distinguished military leaders, and representatives from area veteran organizations and the Town of Brunswick. The Dedication Ceremony can also be heard live on Radio Midcoast WCME 99-5 FM or 900 AM.

“Since the beginning we had high hopes of sharing the official opening of the Plaza with a huge audience in attendance,” cited David Watson, Commander of American Legion Post 20, “but, as the pandemic spread we knew adjustments to conform to state regulations had to be made. Ultimately this recent Covid case increase forced this plan so we could keep the celebration program intact, and keep the dedication of this tribute on Veterans Day.”

While the morning Dedication Ceremony will not be on site, the Veterans Plaza will be officially and permanently be open to the public beginning with the raising of the colors on Nov. 11 at 7 a.m. Visitors will then be able to see and be impacted by the World War WII Memorial, the new Purple Heart Memorial, the 12 sentinels each featuring one of the major conflicts in which our countryhas been involved, and review the over 435 Honor Blocks sponsored by family and friends of the specific veteran being honored.