FARMINGTON — Veterans of any age and of any conflict and their families are invited to a “Welcome Home Dinner” from 4:30 to 6:15 p.m. Saturday, March 3, at the Farmington Grange Hall.

The meal is sponsored by The Life Community Church, which meets Sundays at the Grange Hall in West Farmington. The church wanted to do something for veterans, member Dovey Balsam of Industry said.

“We wanted to show our support and thanks for what they’ve done and their sacrifices,” she said.

A Thanksgiving-style dinner with turkey and all the fixings is planned, she said. 

March seemed like the “off season,” a good time to bring veterans together and give them a chance to socialize and reach out to others, she said. Veterans who have participated in more recent conflicts might find an older veteran who can understand what it’s like to return home. They might realize they are not alone, she said.

Balsam, a member of Veterans for Peace, decided to name the event “Welcome Home Dinner” because she had talked with many veterans who didn’t want to be thanked. They are not always proud of what they have done, she said.

Asking them what she should say to show appreciation, they said, “Welcome home.”

Donations have helped pay for the meal. Volunteers from the community and students from the University of Maine at Farmington will help serve the meal, Balsam said. Organizers hope to fill the Grange Hall with a “homey feeling,” she said.

The church hopes to offer the meal a couple of times per year, if this goes well, she said.

For more information, call Balsam at 778-0356.

abryant@sunjournal.com