Rotary Club salutes hometown heroes
From left, Gloria Walters, Bob Walters, Alice Mutch, Daren Graves and Debbie Graves welcome hometown heroes at the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club’s dinner Sept. 13. JANE CARPENTER/Boothbay Register
John Potter, Ryann Trask and Erin Potter are honored at the Hometown Heroes dinner. JANE CARPENTER/Boothbay Register
Local first responders at Rotary’s 16th annual Hometown Heroes dinner. JANE CARPENTER/Boothbay Register
Event co-chairs Debbie and Daren Graves greet attendees at Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club’s 16th annual Hometown Heroes dinner. JANE CARPENTER/Boothbay Register
Lynn Tierney, former deputy fire commissioner for the New York City Fire Department, shares her 9/11 experiences with attendees. JANE CARPENTER/Boothbay Register
From left, Gloria Walters, Bob Walters, Alice Mutch, Daren Graves and Debbie Graves welcome hometown heroes at the Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club’s dinner Sept. 13. JANE CARPENTER/Boothbay Register
John Potter, Ryann Trask and Erin Potter are honored at the Hometown Heroes dinner. JANE CARPENTER/Boothbay Register
Local first responders at Rotary’s 16th annual Hometown Heroes dinner. JANE CARPENTER/Boothbay Register
Event co-chairs Debbie and Daren Graves greet attendees at Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club’s 16th annual Hometown Heroes dinner. JANE CARPENTER/Boothbay Register
Lynn Tierney, former deputy fire commissioner for the New York City Fire Department, shares her 9/11 experiences with attendees. JANE CARPENTER/Boothbay Register
A sell-out crowd of more than 120 gathered at Spruce Point Inn Sept. 13 for the Rotary’s 16th Hometown Heroes dinner. According to program co-chairman Daren Graves, it was the largest crowd ever to attend the event.
Conceived by Bob and Gloria Walters as a way to honor first responders after the World Trade Center was destroyed, the first Hometown Heroes event was held the following year. The dinner has been held each year after, except in 2017 when the State Federation of Firefighters held its annual convention in Boothbay Harbor.
Daren and Debbie Graves co-chair the event. Adding to the celebration this year, Thursday’s dinner was the first time the Walters have attended the dinner since retiring.
Daren Graves said 14 departments in the region are honored at the dinner. These include local police, fire, EMS, communications, Coast Guard and state police. He spoke about the importance of having all the first responders, “our heroes,” together to honor them.
Jackie McLoon sang the National Anthem and Edgecomb Community Church Pastor Kate Pinkham provided the blessing. She reminded everyone of the sacrifices hometown heroes make every day – missing family time and special events to help their neighbors.
After a buffet dinner, Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club president Alice Mutch spoke about Rotary’s tradition of “service above self” and Daren and Debbie Graves presented certificates of thanks to the departments. Each certificate read in part: “Your dedication keeps our citizens safe and helps to create a community we are proud to call our own. In the highest tradition of Rotary we honor your service above self.”
Guest speaker Lynn Tierney, former deputy fire commissioner for the New York City Fire Department, recounted her experiences of 9/11 at the World Trade Center. The room was silent during her talk and attendees thanked her with a standing ovation.
Ticket sales benefited the Rotary Club’s hometown heroes fund to buy equipment for first responders. In the past, this has included AEDs (automated external defibrillators), vests, training and water pumps. Spruce Point Inn also contributed part of its proceeds from the event to the fund.
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