FORT KENT, Maine – About 20 people came out to the University of Maine at Fort Kent’s newly constructed Veterans Square to honor those who served in the military during a Nov. 8 Veterans Day Ceremony.
The new square was completed and unveiled earlier this year during the school’s homecoming event. It was built as a spot to display the university’s flag poles, which had been taken down several years ago for long-term construction projects, according to Heidi Carter, UMFK Director of Marketing and Brand Management.
The university’s Veterans Day event began with an introduction from Student Life Coordinator Stacy Martin, who introduced UMFK Nursing student Rebekah Sanchez to sing the National Anthem as the Color guard stood in front of the flags in the square.
“We are privileged to have veterans among us – students, faculty and staff – who enrich our lives with their experiences and perspectives,” Martin said.
Facilities Director and veteran Jason Guerrette led the invocation and prayer before keynote speaker Leroy McKenzie, who is the First Vice Commander of the American Legion Department of Maine and also a UMFK graduate, took to the podium.
Guerrette emphasized the importance of veterans who fought to preserve freedom in America. He said that regular citizens also play a role in defending freedom as well.
“If we want to preserve our freedoms, we must put them into action,” he said. “For example, by voting in elections or speaking out against injustices. We must also ensure that everyone feels the benefits of freedom. We can do that by volunteering in our communities and teaching our children what it really means to be American.”
Guerrette concluded that Veterans Day is not just for veterans, but for all Americans. He asked those in attendance to honor the country’s veterans by living in the freedom that they protect.
McKenzie spoke about honoring the lives of each veteran who sacrificed for the country.
“On this special day, we come together not only to celebrate their service, but to recognize their legacy,” McKenzie said. “The legacy that they’ve built and the example that they have set. Our veterans embody the highest ideals of dedication, loyalty and patriotism.”
He said that veterans are not just heroes of the past, but also actively working to build a greater future.
“Every journey of a veteran is a testament to the strength of the human spirit,” he said.
Years ago, McKenzie said that a World War II veteran stressed the importance of listening to the stories of other veterans.
“They might tell you something unimaginably painful,” he said. “They might tell you something incredibly funny. But at the end of the day, if we don’t ask to hear their stories — those stories that they’re holding dearly onto — those stories die with them. So let’s make sure we all take the precious time that they deserve to honor them.”
UMFK President Deb Hedeen thanked everyone for attending at the conclusion of the ceremony, which was followed by lunch at the school’s Nowland Hall dining room. The lunch featured a Missing Man Table, which memorializes missing, imprisoned, or fallen members of the military.
