WHEREAS, born in Skowhegan on December 14, 1897, Margaret Chase Smith proudly served Maine and the nation as a distinguished leader until her death on May 29, 1995; and

WHEREAS, first elected to the House of Representatives in 1940, Margaret Chase Smith became the first woman in the history of our country to be elected to the United States Senate in her own right in 1948, an election that also marked the first time a woman was elected to both houses of Congress; and

WHEREAS, Chester Greenwood was born on December 4, 1858 to Zina and Emily Greenwood, who raised their six children on a farm in Farmington, Maine; and

WHEREAS, Chester Greenwood was an avid ice-skater on local, frozen ponds, and struggled as a teenager to keep his ears warm in the winter; and

WHEREAS, that struggle inspired Greenwood to ask his grandmother to sew cloth pads onto a wire ring that he could wrap around his head, thereby inventing modern earmuffs and keeping countless ears warm throughout history; and

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and Happy Thanksgiving weekend!

Like many Maine people, this holiday season, I am so looking forward to a big meal, to turkey, and pumpkin pie, squash, and maybe even green bean casserole. I’m looking forward to sharing time with my daughters and my grandchildren, my brothers and sister, and to pausing at the end of a very busy year to rest and reflect on things for which I am grateful.

This Thanksgiving, I am grateful that our state is blessed with people who love and care for one another. People who extend a helping hand when neighbors need it most – like when Maine people demonstrated such simple acts of kindness, compassion, and generosity during the big winter storm about a year ago that hit so many communities across our state.

This year, I’ll also be enjoying time with friends and neighbors and visiting veterans at Togus facility in Augusta. Let’s not forget people who don’t have family nearby and who may feel isolated.

We’re known for our independence here in Maine, and we are certainly strong, we pride ourselves on that, but we also know we can rely on each other and should rely on each other, and should ask for help in times of need. This holiday season will be time of joy for many people, but it is important for us to remember that some people may be struggling this time of year – some of our active duty servicemen and women will be unable to come home for the holidays, some people are mourning the loss of a loved one who will be missing from the table this year, I’ll be missing my brother David and my eldest daughter, some people may be struggling to make ends meet, and some may not have close friends or family to celebrate with and may be feeling alone even in the company of others.

As we begin this holiday season, let’s hold our family and friends, loved ones and neighbors close, be grateful for the kindness, compassion, and strength of the people of this state.

Let us take this time to appreciate life’s blessings and welcome others to our tables, large and small, to our homes wherever they may be, and into our hearts with generosity and grace. I’ll be welcoming grandchildren to my house and looking forward to hugging them with all my heart, thanking the Good Lord for their presence in my life.

I wish all Maine people and their loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving holiday. And with peace and gratitude, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

WHEREAS, Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was founded on December 1, 1941 in order to mobilize the nation’s civilian aviation resources for national defense; and

WHEREAS, CAP is now the official civilian auxiliary and Total Force Partner of the United States Air Force; and

WHEREAS, CAP’s three primary missions of Aerospace Education, Cadet Programs and Emergency Services are accomplished by volunteers serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures; and

WHEREAS, Maine-grown Christmas trees stand as a timeless, naturally grown decoration, and the Maine Christmas Tree Association, which cultivates seasonal cheer for Christmas and Solstice by producing authentic Christmas trees and wreath products, stands as the foremost resource for all things related to Christmas trees in the beautiful State of Maine; and

WHEREAS, started in 1988 and recognized annually on December 1st, World AIDS Day is a global event to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS, and to honor and support those living with and affected by HIV; and