FORT KENT, Maine — In spite of cold, wet conditions, veterans and community members came together at the University of Maine at Fort Kent on Monday morning to honor all who served in the armed forces for Veterans Day.
The event featured Maine State American Legion Commander Leroy McKenzie, who is the first person from Fort Kent to be elected to the office.
Before the ceremony, he spoke to students at Fort Kent Community School about Veterans Day and its significance. He said it was particularly special since he went to each of those schools and received his degree at UMFK.
Since he first joined the Legion, McKenzie has wanted to advocate for veterans, he said. His new role has given him that opportunity as he has traveled throughout the state, which is something he finds especially valuable.
“A lot of people don’t realize this, but this is probably one of the most meaningful parts of what I do,” McKenzie said. “It’s a complete honor to come full circle and be able to come back here and do this.”
Cold rain came down as school officials handed out umbrellas to guests at the university’s Veterans Square, a new area on campus constructed last year. UMFK Student Life Coordinator Stacey Martin, who is the daughter of retired Master Sergeant James Wiley, introduced guests as the ceremony began.
“This is an important time to remember and honor those who have served and are currently serving, and to thank them for their contributions and their sacrifices to our country,” said UMFK President Deb Hedeen.
UMFK conservation law student Bri Bois sang the national anthem, and Richard Dominikoski, commander of the American Legion Post 133 in Fort Kent, called the color guard to order.
Student Speaker Kaiden Rosi-Carney, a third-year forestry student and member of the Army National Guard, thanked the veterans present at the ceremony for serving their country.
“Thank you for putting service above self, for enduring hardships that most of us will never fully understand, and for defending the freedoms we too often take for granted,” he said. “Whether you served in combat or a support role, at home or overseas, your contributions have shaped the safety and strength of this nation.”
McKenzie spoke about Veterans Day as a time to recognize veterans who answered the call to serve, and how veterans come from all walks of life.
“They are fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, friends and neighbors,” he said. “What unites them is their commitment to something greater than themselves: the defense of our nation and preservation of our ideals.”
Veterans have faced challenges most can only imagine, and continued to stand strong, McKenzie said. Honoring those who served isn’t just an annual day of recognition, but is about the respect that people show veterans every day, and how those veterans are greeted once they return home. And upon returning home, many veterans continue their work of building the country by taking jobs as teachers, nurses, police officers and community volunteers, McKenzie said.
“Their dedication to service doesn’t end when their time in uniform does,” he said. “They continue to strengthen our communities, inspire our youth, and remind us what it means to lead with purpose and heart.”
