HOLDEN, Maine — Veterans Day is this Wednesday, November 11. To recognize those who have served and are serving our country in the armed forces, several veteran ceremonies are set to be held throughout the state. Although, the ceremonies will have more restrictions in 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic.
During an early Veterans Day ceremony Sunday, the Holden Police Department did something special for one of its veteran residents. According to the department's police chief, the connection to the resident stems back a few months.
"The Holden Police Department met Keith Witherspoon, a retired navy veteran earlier this year, as part of a college project he was doing," says Holden Police Chief Chris Greeley.
It happens to be a college project that NEWS CENTER Maine covered a few months ago (story link below). It centered around building better relationships between police and the communities they serve.
"[Witherspoon], as part of a graduate program he's working on, reached out to the Holden Police Department and thought... you know I want to get the perspective of my police department where I live, he came in, we were here for hours," says Greeley.
During their ride-along, Greeley learned that Witherspoon was a retired veteran who had served for 20 years as a hospital corpsman for the US Navy.
Greeley wanted to recognize his service by surprising Witherspoon with a plaque with his name and adding it to the veterans' memorial in Holden.
"That was the first time I've ever received something like that," says Witherspoon. "When I served 30 years ago, I just did it because it was an adventure, and then as I got older I saw how important it was to serve your country."
Chief Greeley says it was a privilege to honor a great man. "He is a wonderful guy and we love having him here!" says Greeley.
"I was just doing my duty, and then this is just icing on the cake!" says Witherspoon.
Chief Greeley tells NEWS CENTER Maine that the plaque was purchased by Holden police officers, with their own money.