| Reception | 5:30 p.m. |
|---|---|
| Dinner | 6:00 p.m. |
| Meeing | Following Dinner |
| Program | Following Meeting |
The location of this meeting will be at the Sheraton Hotel in Needham, MA
| Malcolm Kenney | Pease Greeter |
| Rev. Richard Norwood | Pastor Chelmsford St. Baptist, Lowell |
| Rev. Dr. Mar Imsong | Executive Director Massachusetts Baptist Multicultural Ministries |
| Mr. Roger Philbrick | Director Boston Baptist Social Union |
| Welcome | President Joseph Marcello |
| Song | "Because He Lives" |
| Invocation | Rev. Richard Norwood |
| Dinner | |
| Business | |
| Program | Malcolm Kenney - Pease Greeter |
| Benediction | Rev. Dr. Mar Imsong |
The Pease greeters are a group of patriotic Americans who welcome men and women in our Armed Forces who pass through Pease International Airport either on their way to or on their way home from Afganistan, Iraq, or any other area of conflict. They have met over 600 flights and have welcomed over 170,000 troops since 2005. They have created with the Pease Trade Port an environment that reflects the respect and high esteem in which they hold all veterans, as well as promote broad participation by the general public in this welcoming of heroes; paying special attention to the education of school children by instilling respect and admiration for the troops through formal ceremonies for each flight.
It does not matter whether it is 0400 (4 AM in the morning) or 1600 (4 PM in the afternoon) the greeters are there to welcome the troops. The Pease Greeters» welcome has three phases; the initial greeting which includes hundreds of Pease Greeters clapping and cheering while patriotic music is playing in the background. Hospitality continues with Dunkin Donuts ™ coffee, soda and water, cookies, Friendly's ™ ice cream, and many more delicious goodies (too many to mention) along with the use of the telephone banks installed by Whaleback Industries ™ so that our men and women may place telephone calls free of charge to anywhere in the world. All of this is topped off by being able to spend time with a great group of Americans who are appreciative of what they do for our country.
The Pease Greeters» closing ceremony may come last, but it is far from least in the overall scheme of the greeting. This part of the the greeting includes photographing the troops so that each flight may be added to the Hero's Walk - a hallway at Pease dedicated solely to our brave men and women who have passed through Pease International Airport. Next our National Colors are presented. They have the singing of the National Anthem, a blessing from the Pease Greeters chaplain, a brief presentation of who we are to the troops before us along with a reading of the the Star poem. Stars from retired flags with a poem are given to each man and woman who come through Pease, and an offering of the 'shirt off our back' - a signed Pease Greeter sweatshirt presented to the commanding officer. At the closing of the ceremony, just prior to the troops boarding the flight, the officer of the day will salute the troops with the following words, 'We, the old Warriors, salute you, the young Warriors.'