This is an important week for Honor Flight Maine (HFM).  On Thursday, Nov. 16, the News Center Maine (NCM) annual HFM telethon is being held. If you have been watching NCM this week, you will have seen the promotions for it. A number of veterans from the Boothbay region have gone on this trip to see the memorials in D.C., sharing this experience with many other veterans.  I am sure most readers know someone who made the trip. Most recently, last month, Jim Singer and Phil Chapman went. I think anyone you talk to who made the trip will say the experience is not just a free trip to D.C. to see the memorials.  For many it is healing, for others it is the recognition they received from all the tourists in D.C. who want to shake their hand and have their picture taken with them. As we are now taking predominately Vietnam veterans, it is the “thank you for your service” that they never received 50 years ago. As you know, this trip is free for all veterans of all eras. It is the mission of all the Honor Flight organizations around the country, of which there are 125, to ensure that no veteran pays for this trip. So, HFM relies on the generosity of our Maine community. It costs approximately $1,000 per veteran to make this trip. This includes airfare, two nights in a hotel, seven meals, and bus transportation in D.C. In 2024 we are scheduled to take five trips with 200 veterans. That gives a goal of raising $200,000 to make this happen. Making a donation is actually fun. You call in to the number that they will be providing and one of the HFM volunteers or members of the NCM staff will talk to you and take your pledge or credit card number. Most of the volunteers are at home taking these calls. I will be one of them. I’ll be starting taking calls at 5 a.m. and will end at 8 p.m. taking breaks through out the day. Anyone who wants to join me can come to my house at 150 Samoset Road anytime during that period. 

It is the time of year where some of us will decorate the area outside Togus’s hospice and nursing home wing (building 207).  The process has actually started with replacing last year lights that aren’t working this year.  But, the work starts in earnest on Dec. 20 at 10 a.m. All of last year’s decorations will be checked to ensure the lights work and replaced if necessary. Lowe’s will be providing a few new ones. Then they are placed in the yard and connected with way too many extension cords. This year, we have been asked to provide refreshments following the display lighting ceremony and Christmas carolers. Date of ceremony will be decided this week. Anyone interested in participating in any or all of this contact me dapatch@roadrunner.com or 633-4478. 

The next Post meeting is Monday, Dec. 11.