NEWBURYPORT — Packed into the Elks Lodge off Low Street, dozens of veterans were celebrated and feted Tuesday during the annual Yankee Homecoming Veterans Luncheon.
Greeted at the door by Holly Shay, president of the nonprofit Sgt. Jordan Shay Memorial Foundation, veterans began pouring in about 11:30 a.m.
“Greeting the veterans is my favorite part of this event. To be able to say thank you to each of them and welcome them to this wonderful event that is put on by all the sponsors, not just us, is a privilege for me,” Shay said.
The foundation was named after her son, who was killed in action in 2009 in Iraq.
Serving in wars from World War II to Afghanistan, veterans filled well over a dozen tables spread throughout the room.
Among the veterans in attendance was 92-year-old Korean War Navy veteran Art Ober, who said he loves having the opportunity to socialize with peers and others.
“A lot of these folks I see at other events, always good to see old friends,” Ober said.
Ipswich Veterans Services Officer Steven Bohn, who served in 2008 in Afghanistan as part of the 101st Airborne Division, 1st and 506th Infantry Regiment, said he similarly loves the event’s comradeship.
“Being able to help out with any VA (Veterans Affairs) questions, that’s what my job is. Being a little piece of advice for someone, whether they’re trying to put in a disability claim with the VA, or just being resourceful and useful to anyone who needs it,” Bohn said.
About noon, Newburyport Veterans Services Officer Kevin Hunt began the official ceremony.
He first had veterans from different eras stand to be recognized, starting with the global war on terror and ending with two World War II veterans.
While this went on, Coast Guard Station Merrimack River members and volunteers began bringing out the lunch, which was chicken, rolls and salad.
Once he finished recognizing the veterans, Hunt then passed the microphone to guest speakers, including Mayor Sean Reardon.
“I love that this has become such a big part of Yankee Homecoming. I think you can never celebrate our veterans enough,” Reardon said.
State Rep. Dawne Shand, D-Newburyport, also spoke, calling Massachusetts the “cradle of American Patriotism.”
“It’s home to the first National Guard, the birthplace of the American Revolution, the first to declare that disabled veterans must be cared for, and the first to establish local veterans service officers,” Shand said.
Arriving a bit later, state Sen. Bruce Tarr, R-Gloucester, said one of the great things about Yankee Homecoming is it allows folks to celebrate some of “the most important aspects of our community.”
“And certainly, the way we embrace and honor our veterans is one of those things. It’s an important tradition to be able to come out, sit at tables, talk with them, say thank you for their service, and remember the things they’ve been through, and how important they are to all of us,” Tarr said.
Matt Petry covers Amesbury and Salisbury for The Daily News of Newburyport. Email him at: mpetry@northofboston.com.