Gorham Memorial Post 10879 was chartered in 1990 with 36 members who had served in wars and conflicts from WWII to Vietnam. Four of those initial members are still with us today. Today’s membership still encompasses veterans from WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, as well as Kosovo, Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Global War on Terror. Following the 2020 merger of the South Portland’s Post 832, membership is now 250.
The VFW traces its roots to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-AmericanWar (1898) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service. Many arrived home wounded or sick. There was no medical care or veterans’ pension for them, and they were left to care for themselves. Today, membership stands at more than 1.5 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliary.
Nationally, the VFW has provided more than $12.5 million dollars in direct assistance to military families since 2004, $10.65 million in scholarships to veterans and service members since 2014, and $3.2 million annually in scholarships and awards to middle school and high school students through two major patriotic essay competitions.
Locally, the numbers are more modest, but just as impressive. Each year, Post 10879 raises funds through Buddy Poppy drives and awards about $1500 to various veteran organizations including the VFW National Home for Children, Scarborough Veterans Home, Travis Mills Foundation, House in the Woods, Maine Homeless Vets, Wreaths Across America, USO, and Veterans Administration Volunteer Service.
These organizations directly support the needs of veterans and their families. Patriot’s Pen and Voice of Democracy are two annual scholarship programs for middle school and high school students in which Post 10879 participates. Holding a local competition, winners are advanced to a regional level. Last year’s Voice of Democracy winner at the post level also won the regional level and advanced to the state competition. Through these competitions and the National Citizenship Education Teacher of the Year award, the post encourages patriotism.
The two most publicly visible things Post 10879 does each year includes the Memorial Day Parade and the decorating of our veteran graves. Each year, Post 10879 leads the Memorial Day Parade from the corner of Lincoln Street and South Street to the Eastern Cemetery down Main Street. Along the way, a stop is made at Phinney Park where a boy scout and a girl scout assist members of the post in laying wreaths at Gorham’s war memorials. A ceremony is held in Eastern Cemetery following the parade with another presentation of a wreath in honor of all who have given their lives in the defense of our nation. The ceremony has included a short address from a veteran or a publicly elected representative. Usually the Saturday before the parade, the post, with volunteers from the scouts and the community decorate every veteran grave in Gorham’s cemeteries and in private plots to show honor and give thanks for their patriotic service. Veterans Day is the time of year when those flags are collected and delivered to the Gorham Fire Department for respectful disposal.
Post 10879 does not hold a public ceremony for Veterans Day but will honor the veterans of the United States military services, both living and dead, in the ceremonies of their November meeting, in the camaraderie of their gatherings, and the memories of their hearts.
Timothy E. Sandeno served in the U.S. Navy and Reserves from 1989 to 2014, and has served as Quartermaster of Gorham Memorial Post 10879 since 2015.