FORT KENT, Maine — Few things bring people together like a morning at a pond when the fish are really biting.
Veterans from around the area joined fourth graders from Fort Kent Elementary School for a morning of fishing, swapping tales and some fresh air during an outing organized by American Legion Post 133.
“This is just such a great event,” Devin Robinson, director of public relations and marketing with Maine Veterans’ Homes, said from the dock overlooking the private pond on Charette Hill. “It’s an opportunity to get our residents outside in nature doing something they love.”
About 20 World War II, Korean and Vietnam vets from around Aroostook County were on hand Thursday. Some were giving pointers to the students while others were happy to have their hooks baited for them by the youngsters.
“They love talking to the kids,” Robinson said. “And look at [the veterans], they are raring to go.”
Standing shoulder-to-shoulder on the dock were brothers Phil Dumond, 83, and Claude Dumond, 91, both lifelong fishermen and friendly rivals.
“Did you bring your dynamite?” Phil asked his brother, with a grin. “Or are you going to use canned corn like Annette did?”
Claude Dumond’s late wife Annette Dumond was a well known fisherwoman in the area and still holds a world record for the largest cusk ever caught for the 18½ pound, 36-inch monster she landed in Eagle Lake in 1986.
“Look, they brought a game warden today, how the hell are we supposed to fish?” Phil Dumond, a retired Maine Game Warden, said, joking with Warden Gary Sibley. “Of course, with all these kids here, I don’t know if we stand a chance of catching fish anyway.”
Among the students was Sibley’s 11-year-old son, Griffon Sibley, who was busy helping the veterans bait their hooks and netting trout.
“This is pretty cool,” the younger Sibley said after helping Korean War veteran Richard Bouchard get his trout off the line and into a plastic bag. “I love to fish and these veterans are so funny and so nice.”
“He used to fish and hunt all the time,” Gladys Bouchard said of her husband, who is currently confined to a wheelchair following a stroke. “I think this is so wonderful they are doing this [and] it’s so good the kids are here so they know what the veterans are all about.”
Richard Bouchard is a resident of Forest Hill Manor Nursing Home in Fort Kent and several staff were on hand Thursday to keep track of the catches of the day.
“We are taking the fish back to [the nursing home] for them and will fry them up for them,” Charlene Taggart, Forest Hill activities director, said. “I am sure there will be some ployes to have with the fish they caught.”
Taggart said an outing like this means the world to veterans like Clarence Dubois, 84.
“He hasn’t been fishing for 15 years and his wife passed away not long ago and he’s been so sad,” Taggart said. “When we started talking about this trip and taking him fishing, it really put a smile on his face.”
Nearby, Victoria Cagande, 9, was helping Korean War veteran James Golding land his trout with her net.
“This is awesome,” the girl said. “These veterans are so cool.”
Maine’s First Lady Ann LePage was on hand for the event, despite an admitted aversion to worms and to fish.
“I’m a meat and potatoes gal,” she said. “But this is so wonderful to do for our veterans and I am happy to be here with them.”
LePage had just come from helping to announce a planned exhibit of veterans’ memorabilia at Valley Motors in Fort Kent. The exhibit is scheduled to open on Aug. 7, according to Steve Daigle, marketing manager at Valley Motors.
Daigle said the front area of the car dealership on Main Street will be devoted to a permanent display of photos, artifacts and information about northern Maine veterans dating from 1812 to the Vietnam War.
Support and recognition of veterans is important, said pond owner and local businessman Mike Nadeau, who donated all the trout and most of the gear for the fishing event. Nadeau allows the elderly, veterans and other local groups to use his pond and gear for free each year.
He also made sure there were plenty of coolers with ice for the vets who wanted to take their catch home with them.
“I love it when the older generations and veterans come here,” he said. “I see the smiles on their faces when they are taking part in traditional activities they remember but maybe can no longer do as much.”
Earlier that morning the veterans from Forest Hill Manor, Cross Winds and the Maine Veterans’ Home in Caribou were at Fort Kent Elementary School where students talked to them about veteran-related projects they had worked on.
“You should have seen these veterans at the school talking to the kids and looking at what they had done,” said Duane Belanger, commander of Post 133. “They were just so impressed.”
Over at the dock’s railing, the Dumond brothers were still battling it out for the day’s boasting rights.
“My brother has caught the biggest fish today,” Phil Dumond said. “I’m never going to hear the end of it.”
Sitting down next to a can of worms to add some more weight to his line, Phil Dumond looked over to the picnic lunch going on nearby.
“I wonder if a piece of hotdog would work better for bait,” he said. “Of course, if you want to know where all the fish really are, just look around for the game warden.”
