Brewer’s yellow-ribboned tree kicks off effort to honor troops

BREWER – Cities and towns across Maine are putting more than just twinkling lights on their municipal Christmas trees this year.

They’re adding bright yellow ribbons.

As part of the statewide Operation Community Support program, dozens of municipal trees will be adorned with the ribbons to symbolize support for deployed military personnel and their families.

In Brewer, the first municipality to sign on to the ribbon program, Gov. John Baldacci on Tuesday tied the yellow ribbon on the city’s 45-foot tall pine tree.

“We really appreciate the leadership today in this community,” Baldacci said, standing in the snow next to the tree, which is located between the city pool and the Village Green Motel. “When you put a ribbon there, you think of the families.”

In addition to its own show of support, the city invites residents to bring their own yellow ribbon to put on the tree, City Manager Steve Bost said Tuesday.

“It’s important that the city demonstrate its support for the families” and the soldiers, Bost said. “This is a means to demonstrate that support.”

Organized by local entrepreneur and sports figure Thomas “Skip” Chappelle, Operation Community Support provides entertainment and recreation opportunities to military families in an effort ease the burden of having a loved one overseas.

“People who don’t have anything to give, they’re going to get a fuzzy, warm feeling putting a ribbon on the tree,” Chapelle said Tuesday.

The grassroots program focuses primarily on Maine National Guard and Reserve soldiers and their families and supplements military family assistance programs with existing community resources.

At one point earlier this year, Maine ranked third in the nation for the largest percentage of Guard and Reserve personnel deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

About 650 soldiers have since returned home, and Operation Community Support wants them to get involved, Chapelle said.

The project so far has allowed some spouses and children of activated Maine soldiers to attend a University of Maine men’s hockey game, an ice skating show and Portland Sea Dogs baseball games.

The program is providing yellow ribbons to municipalities at no cost, said Chapelle, himself a former member of the Maine Air National Guard.

So far, about 75 cities and towns have signed on, including Hampden, Hermon, Belfast, Caribou, Dexter and Pittsfield.

In Hampden, Mayor Rick Briggs and Town Manager Susan Lessard adorned the town tree on Monday with a yellow ribbon. They’re asking residents to tie similar ribbons to the Christmas trees in their own homes, Lessard said.

“This is just a reminder of those who are serving the country presently, and their families,” she said Tuesday.

Municipalities that want to take part in the yellow ribbon program can call the city of Brewer at 989-7500.