Sarah Sherman McGrail is 2024’s Boothbay Region Memorial Day Parade grand marshal. Sarah, a seventh generation Southport Island native, founded her own publishing house in 1996. She has since written and self-published multiple books specific to the Boothbay region and its veterans, with journals and memoirs telling stories from World War II and beyond. 

In 2016, Sarah published a book (Volumes I and II) regarding the history of Boothbay Region’s Veterans during the Vietnam and Korean Wars, as told by the Veterans themselves.   

The Maine Bureau of Veteran’s Services (MBVS) welcomed Sarah as their director of strategic partnerships in 2018. Sarah brought a wealth of knowledge, experience, and compassion to MBVS, that benefit the veterans of the Boothbay region and the state of Maine.  

With a strong family history in military service stemming from these parts, Sarah has remained a staunch advocate for all Maine veterans for nearly 20 years. 

We have been honored with the presence of Boothbay region veterans from all wars (WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam) as grand marshal throughout the history of our Memorial Day Parades. 

This year, we pay homage to a native Mainer (Southporter) who has worked tirelessly to document the history of our region’s veterans, and continue to advocate for their well-being via the MBVA.