DIXFIELD – Several groups will host Veterans Day ceremonies in the River Valley region, starting Friday.

The Bureau of Maine Veterans Services will present a recognition ceremony Friday at 1 p.m. at the Swasey-Torrey American Legion Post in Dixfield. Veterans, their families and friends are invited.

Bridget Daigle of the American Legion Auxiliary said the program is run by both Peter Ogden, director of the Bureau of Maine Veterans Services, and state Rep. Sheryl Briggs, D-Mexico. Briggs also helped set up a ceremony last year at the American Legion Post 24 in Rumford.

According to Daigle, the purpose of the ceremony is to recognize veterans who may not have received a medal or certificate for their service.

She said the names of veterans are sent to Ogden by members of the Legion, as well as friends and family of the veterans. Ogden checks their records to see which medals or certificates they were supposed to receive.  They will be presented with them at the ceremony. If a veteran is deceased, the recognition is presented to a family member or close friend.

Daigle expects the turnout to be very good.

“Sheryl called me and told me to set up at least 100 chairs,” Daigle said. “I heard that one resident is going to show up fully dressed in his WWII uniform.”

Daigle also said the American Legion Post in Dixfield will host a free dinner, sponsored by the Church of the Nazarene, for veterans and their families on Monday, Nov. 12.

In addition to the Dixfield ceremony, Robert Shand Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1641 and American Legion Post 24, both of Rumford, will host their annual Veterans Day ceremony Sunday at Mountain Valley High School.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. in Muskie Auditorium, although veterans are urged to meet at 9:30 a.m. in the cafeteria. The ceremony welcomes all veterans, as well as their families, friends and the entire community.

Kirk Thurston, commander of the American Legion Post 24, said the guest speaker will be Ed Roach, past Department of Maine commander for the American Legion and former Post 24 commander.  The master of ceremonies will be Gerald Francis, commander of VFW Post 1641.

The ceremony used to be outside and included a parade, Thurston said, but it was moved inside several years ago, due to the aging veterans and the cold.

In addition to the ceremony, Thurston said the coach of the Mountain Valley High School girls basketball team asked the American Legion to have a veteran march the American flag and the American Legion flag onto the court prior to their game Sunday.

Following the ceremony at Mountain Valley, there will be a lunch in the upstairs room at the VFW Hall for all veterans and their families.

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