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For Immediate Release:

Bangor International Airport Says "Thanks A Million" to the Maine Troop Greeters

Bangor, Maine -- Apr 1, 2010

BANGOR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SAYS “THANKS A MILLION” TO THE MAINE TROOP GREETERS

March  31, 2010 – Bangor, Maine – Bangor International Airport held a “Thanks A Million” event to honor the Maine Troop Greeters who have greeted 1 million troops transiting through Bangor International Airport since May 2003.  On almost 5000 flights the troops going to and coming from overseas are greeted at all times of the day and night regardless of the weather, day of the week, or holidays.

Director of Bangor International Airport, Rebecca Hupp welcomed everyone opened with  “The Maine Troops Greeters’ mission is to express the Nation's (and our) gratitude and appreciation to the troops, for those going overseas for a safe return and for the returning for a joyful homecoming and to make their (hopefully brief) stay in Bangor as comfortable and pleasant as possible.”     

 She continued, “While the mission is straight forward, the actual execution of the mission is far more complicated. We have watched the Troop Greeters grow into the organization that it is today. In some ways the Greeters’ organization is like the human body, it takes many parts to make it work efficiently. There are literally hundreds of greeters, each with an important role. Some greeters are very involved in doing the hard work of maintaining the organizational structure, other greeters participate by making phone calls, the vast majority just want to come out and greet the troops, and some have even become celebrities in their own right. But each greeter is important, none is more important than the other. Just like the human body, where it takes the both the heart and the lungs, the eyes and the ears, the legs and the arms, no single part or person is more important than the other.  It takes each to make it work.

While today we are recognizing the greeters for greeting nearly 5000 flights and over one million troops, we also recognize that each and every single service member is important. Again like the human body where it takes all the different parts to make it work, we value each and every single service member that has transited through Bangor. Whether the person is the first, the 500,000^th, the millionth or the last, we will honor and appreciate them all.” 

Congressman Michael Michaud acknowledged the Troop Greeters for their dedication and their service to our military.  He remarked that wherever he has the occasions to speak with members of the military when he says he is from Maine more often than not they speak of their experience at Bangor International with the Maine Troop Greeters.

Gail Kelly from Senator Snowe’s office also offered thanks and appreciation to the Troop Greeters from Senator Olympia Snowe.  Senator Collins’ thoughts of gratitude were delivered by Michael Noyes of her Bangor office.  Other remarks of gratitude and thanks to the Troop Greeters were delivered by Adjutant General John Libby, representatives from the Marine Corps League, and Maine Balsam Fir Co.  Remarks from the Maine Legislature were given by former State Representative Charles Fisher.

Michael Murphy of Verizon Wireless presented a check for $10,000 to the Troop Greeters in support of the Troop Greeters’ mission to welcome the troops.  Verizon Wireless also provided the organization with free cell phones for military personnel to use when travel through Bangor International Airport.

Bangor International Airport is a full-service regional airport offering non-stop, affordable flights to Detroit, New York’s JFK and  LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Orlando/Sanford, St. Petersburg/Clearwater and seasonal flights to Minneapolis and Washington, DC.  The Airport is an enterprise funded entity operated by the City of Bangor and is supported solely through Airport generated revenue.

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