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| File Photo Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery Corporation Chairman Harry Hafford stands next to the Caribou cemetery’s Avenue of Flags. The 30 flags along the Avenue will be raised for the 2013 season on Monday, May 13, with each flag honoring a deceased veteran. |
By Lisa Wilcox
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — The Northern Maine Veterans Cemetery Corporation will be holding a ceremony to raise the flags that fly on the Caribou location’s Avenue of Flags on Monday, May 13 at 10:30 a.m.
According to NMVCC Chairman Harry Hafford, the flags for 2013 will be raised by family members or friends of deceased veterans and will remain flying until Veteran’s Day in honor of that veteran, unless the flag becomes damaged and has to be taken down.
“We will have a cemetery crew member raise the flag to half-mast,” Hafford explained about the procedure, “and the family member or friend will finish raising it.”
A total of 30 flags will be raised, 29 in honor of a specific veteran and the 30th to commemorate all veterans.
The event will feature a posting of colors by the Loring Job Corps Honor Guard, a benediction, raising of the flags, then a rendition of “Taps” will be played to close the ceremony. The flags will be raised together, with the name of each veteran and their branch of service being announced before the flags are elevated.
According to Hafford, the veterans who will be honored will be selected on a first come, first served basis. Hafford hopes to receive enough response to have the names of veterans on reserve in case flags need to be replaced during the year and to also have some names already slated for next year’s ceremony.
“This is being done on a trial basis this year, but we are hoping to have enough response to be able to make it an annual event,” Hafford said.
Family or friends interested in raising a flag to honor a deceased veteran may contact Hafford with the veteran’s name, the name of the person to raise the flag, and contact information for that person, at 435-6024. The flag will be provided by NMVCC at no cost to the veteran’s family or friends.
