FARMINGTON – A state legislator is seeking area veterans eligible for Maine’s “Honoring a Veteran” program for a special ceremony in November.

State Rep. Thomas Saviello, U-Wilton, wants names and paperwork of veterans who served honorably and may be eligible for recognition for their military service.

The ceremony will coincide with a concert Nov. 8 at the Farmington Baptist Church on Whittier Road.

Church officials contacted Saviello and asked him to help plan a concert to raise money for fuel assistance in the area. They also told him they would like to honor local veterans, a cause dear to his heart.

Saviello has participated in several “Honoring a Veteran” recognitions because his father was honored when he was in his 70s for his service in World War II, Saviello said.

He would work to get that recognition for other veterans and their families even if he wasn’t a legislator, he said.

The state’s “Honoring a Veteran” program began with bestowing medals in 2006, said Peter Ogden, director of the Bureau of Maine Veteran Services. The idea developed when, as the new director, he sat through a service for Christopher Gelineau, who was the first Maine National Guardsman killed in Iraq in 2004.

“I sat there thinking there must be something more we as a state can do to recognize veterans,” he said.

Four forms of recognition were adopted:

• Gold Star Honorable Service medal awarded to families of service members who gave their lives in defense of the country since 2001;

• Silver Star medals for former POWs and Purple Heart recipients;

• Bronze Star medals for families of service members who lost their lives in the line of duty but not in combat;

• Honorable certificates are awarded to veterans who served honorably during war and peace time.

The recognitions serve three purposes, Ogden said.

“First, to honor and thank the veteran for their service to this country. Secondly, we try to make sure that they are being taken care of by the Veterans Administration, and thirdly, we try to capture information about their service,” he said.

Saviello wants to honor as many veterans on Nov. 8 as possible, but he needs help, he said. Names and paperwork are needed in time to make preparations. To submit a name or for more information, contact Saviello at 645-3420 or by e-mail at [email protected].