ROCKLAND — The eighth annual Coast Guard Appreciation Dinner was held at the Elks Club in Rockland Friday, May 2, when a crowd honored Station Rockland and crew aboard the USCGC Thunder Bay, Tackle and the Abbie Burgess. Retired Chief Warrant Officer Paul Dilger was master of ceremonies and Rockland Police Chief Bruce Boucher was the featured speaker. Hailey Hobbs, daughter of Chief Ed and Crystal Martin and an Oceanside East student, sang the national anthem.

Coast Guard Station Rockland maintains buoys and lighthouses, conducts ice-breaking duties, search and rescue operations, patrols of coastal waterways and harbors, and provides security and assists in maritime protection.

Hobbs is a student at Oceanside East and she is of a Coast Guard family. In addition to being on the cheerleading squad, she sings the national anthem at home high school games. She opened the dinner Friday night.

“I’ve been singing since I was about 3 years old and just never stopped,” she said. “I’ve been in chorus since fifth-grade and it’s my passion. This is my first time outside-of-school singing the national anthem. I would like to be a professional singer some day.”

Following dinner, Dilger introduced the commanders and crews of Coast Guard Station Rockland, highlighting the various roles that they played in this sector of the state. Also honored were Coast Guard retirees in attendance, other military branches and the Coast Guard Committee.

Commanders of the three cutters based in Rockland honored departing crew members and those getting promotions. They also welcomed new crew to the command. Husbands and wives of the Coast Guard were also honored and thanked for their dedicated service for supporting their spouses through the demands of their jobs.

“Our true heroes, and no words can ever express the importance of your mission,” said Dilger. “Who are we talking about? You care for and take care of those who protect the nation. Which most would argue is a far more challenging and daunting task. We have a token of appreciation for all that you do.”

Dilger invited all the spouses up to the front of the room to receive flowers, accompanied by a full round of applause.

Rockland Police Chief Bruce Boucher has worked his entire adult life in public service, both on and off duty. He has been a strong and avid supporter of Special Olympics since 1987 and served as a board member from 2001 to 2005. He continues to work closely with Coast Guard units. 

“2014 is the 70th year since the U.S. Navy turned over the pier to the U.S. Coast Guard and established a group command here in Rockland,” said Boucher. “No one else does everything that you do. You protect citizens from the sea and protect America from threats delivered by the sea. You are a military service, a federal law enforcement agency and our nation’s leading first responders with a mandate to act.

“One of the many Coast Guard efforts that your volunteer work does locally and at the statewide level is one relationship that is near and dear to me. That is your commitment to helping the law enforcement torch run event. Being involved in Special Olympics is important to me. Each year, nearly 700 law enforcement officials run 900 miles carrying the flame of hope. Over the past eight years, Coast Guard Station Rockland has been directly involved locally, regionally and at the state level with the event.

“You have volunteered your time at fundraisers and at games here in Rockland. You’ve assisted with timing and handing out medals. We thank you. During the time you have assisted, the amount is $319,000 just for the torch run and $148,000 for the Irving Fueling Dreams events. Your efforts have helped support 38,000 special Olympics athletes in the state of Maine alone.”

Boucher then presented a plaque to Chief Warrant Officer Justin Uyttewaal, thanking the Coast Guard for their support and efforts in helping Special Olympics.

Coast Guard Capt. Brian Gilda, of Portland, is the Sector Commander for Northern New England,  which covers Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and northeastern New York. He spoke about the support of the community, the families and comrades.

“I can’t think of any other place in Maine where the community is helping the Coast Guard take care of itself more so than in Rockland,” said Gilda. “I thank everybody for being here. It’s getting bigger. This is the biggest I’ve been to in the last four years and it’s really a lot of fun to come up here. This summer we’re having the Eagle come up here for the Lobster Festival and also the Coast Guard’s birthday, which is Aug. 4.”  

Rockland City Councilors Louise MacLellan-Ruf and Frank Isganitis, Rockland Mayor Larry Pritchett, Chris Rector and Harbormaster Ed Glaser all attended the appreciation dinner. The CG works closely with all departments of the city to ensure harmony and a good working relationship with city government.

“This is the eighth year of the appreciation for the Coast Guard and I don’t think eight years is even close to enough,” said MacLellan-Ruf. “I’m not sure how far the Coast Guard goes back, but if they got 100 years of appreciation from us, that would be a good start and I would like to personally thank them for their service.”

“How lucky we are to have such a legacy here in our harbor, one that’s been around for decades,” said Isganitis. “It’s great to have our community turn out and support them like this.”

“The Coast Guard people here really play an important role in the community,” said Mayor Pritchett. “I don’t think people realize how many community projects, school projects they do and how much the families contribute particularly to the education system. They play a key role in the economy of the bay because they do ice breaking and provide security.”

Gilda said he makes it to Rockland at least once a month. He said after dinner that the Coast Guard is a good career choice for younger people.

“I really think so,” said Gilda. “What we’re seeing now is people coming into the Coast Guard with college experience and work experience. It really has become competitive to get into the Coast Guard. There is a true sense of service and I think that’s what a lot of them are seeking and a little bit of adventure, as well. They see that were not just search and rescue, but that we’re a lot of other things, like ice breaking, aids to navigation, environmental protection and ship inspections, so there’s a lot out there that attracts a lot of people. We’re a versatile service and we can do what ever the public needs us to do. It’s really diverse. There’s a lot of risk and you have to do it safely and then you have to do it all again the next day. Everybody needs to be a leader.”

And where is Abbie Burgess buried? She’s in Spruce Head and if you’ve never learned the history of Abbie Burgess, you can now.

Chris Wolf can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.