0900 – Veterans Day – 11/11/17 We were gathering at the base of Blue Hill Mountain and the forecast was not in our favor. We had just experienced the warmest October on record, and now, when we had a critical mission at hand, the temperature was a brutal 29 degrees with strong wind gusts. My car was warm and I left it running while our hikers circled up outside. In the backseat the second part of our team was already assembled. Our partners for the weekend:
Army PFC Blaine N. B. Adams
Marine SGT Kevin B. Balduf
Army CPT John “Jay” R. Brainard III
Army PFC Jordan M. Brochu
Army SPC Cassandra L. Cassavant
Army 1SG Christopher D. Coffin
Army SPC Daniel F. J. Cunningham
Army SFC Shawn Dostie
Army SGT Thomas J. Dostie
Army CPL Jason D. Fisher
Army SGT Christopher D. Gelineau
Army CPL Andrew L. Hutchins
Army 1SG Michael D. Jones
Army SSG Lynn R. Poulin
Army SSG Brandon M. Silk
We were to be a team of 29 with 14 hikers and 15 heroes, and we were anxious to get started. After weeks of research and preparation we were ready. When each hiker was present and accounted for, I handed out the 15 Summit Project stones, one by one, to complete our Team. I called out each soldier’s name as I removed their stone from the bag and their hiker stepped forward. Some gently wrapped their stone in a blanket and placed it in a pack, some carried their stone in their gloved hands, but each stone was accepted with excitement and handled with great care. On more than one occasion a hiker remarked that they were “glad to finally meet” their soldier.
We hiked up the mountain together and got to know each other, as well as our heroes, and when we reached the Summit we gathered again. As we went around the circle it was clear that Maine’s heroes were in very capable and loving hands on this cold and blustery Veterans Day in Blue Hill, Maine. The careful care and heartfelt consideration given to each speech in the sacred circle was inspiring and humbling. As hikers we spoke about our heroes as though we were introducing our friends. We shared poems, literature, obituaries and stories we’d learned. We noted the common bonds we had found with our heroes and spoke about their strengths. As humans we spoke about devastating loss and grief. We remembered the wives, mothers, fathers, godparents, children, siblings and loved ones left behind. And, as Americans we spoke about service and sacrifice. We acknowledged that, while the cold wind bit hard at our tear stained faces, the conditions our heroes endured and the grief their families still hold in their hearts, far outweighed our discomforts. Then, when our hands were too cold to hold the notes we’d prepared, and no pictures could be taken for fear of removing our gloves, we packed up our stones and secured our packs. We hiked back down the mountain and said aloud the things we had failed to remember on the Summit. As always happens, there’s so much more to say. When we reached the parking lot each hiker returned their stone, reluctantly, but with a new found sense of purpose. Our mission was one half complete and we would circle up again at 0800 the next day for the second half.
0700 – Sunday morning – 11/12/17 As I pulled up to the door I was concerned that the wind and frigid temperature that morning might hinder the attendance at our Veterans Remembrance 4 Mile Road Race in Ellsworth, Maine. It was a cold and quiet morning in the gym while I set up our display. This year we were blessed with 15 perfect stones on a blanket atop the stage versus 10 in years passed. As I placed each stone on the blanket I remembered what had been said about them on the Summit. I wondered if the other hikers had spent countless hours overnight thinking about the reunion for this morning as I had. At 0800 the hikers from the day before started to filter in to the gym in their new role as runners. Everyone was dressed for the 32 degree predicted temperatures and the wind off the Union River that followed the entire 2 mile out and back course. The reunions between runners and their stones were heartwarming. Many asked to take their stones and share them with their families and friends prior to the race. Upon departure our team of 15 runners set out onto the course with 15 stones. Miraculously, as often happens at TSP events, the wind calmed and the sun shone brightly on our course. And, despite the predicted weather, the event drew 130 participants. A true testimony to the dedication of our community to honoring our veterans. As runners rounded a corner off the main road into a development, and up a very steep hill, the course was lined with signs celebrating the veterans in our country and all who’ve served. Volunteers at the top and bottom of the hill danced and sang to stave off the cold and keep morale up. We celebrated when we passed each other on the course, and we acknowledged the gratitude of other participants when they thanked us for carrying the stones of our fallen Maine heroes. Fifteen runners (and one K-9!) crossed the finish line and completed the mission. The finish line was alive with encouragement and excitement as our newly christened TSP family members stood cheering with their stones.
As we completed the fourth annual Veterans Remembrance 4 Mile Road Race, our third collaboration between The Summit Project and the Downeast Family YMCA, it became clear that our small display on the corner of the stage has made a large impact. As runners received their dog tag medals from community veterans, and were able to hug and thank those veterans, many came by to see the display and ask if we would be collaborating with the Summit Project next year as well. We carry their stone for a hike (or a run!) but we carry their story for a lifetime. Maine Heroes are NOT Forgotten in downeast Maine. We are proud to participate and we will continue to grow in our dedication to this amazing Project to remember Maine’s fallen heroes. Until 2018.
