A sunset celebration for Methuen's veterans

Jul. 25—METHUEN — Thursday night was a time for camaraderie and good fun as the Merrimack Valley Golf Club's 17th hole served as the backdrop for a sunset salute to veterans, with more than 50 Valley neighbors turning out to mingle, enjoy a barbecue and listen to music.

Put on by Methuen Veterans Services Officer Paul Jensen, the event featured music and food donated by the Kattar family, who own the golf club and erected the permanent veterans' memorial near the 17th hole featuring flags that pay tribute to each branch of military service.

"This event is a wonderful way to be able to say thank you to our veterans," Jensen said. "The vast majority don't want anything. They just want camaraderie. They just want to be out with their family, put a hat on that represents their service and enjoy the night."

And indeed they did. More than 50 residents, local officials and others crowded the area near the flag memorial for nearly two hours to enjoy hot dogs and hamburgers and music provided by George Williams — with an assist from Kevin Kattar on the harmonica.

"After this year of COVID, so many of our veterans were isolated — especially the disabled ones — and it was so nice to come out on a night like this," said Methuen state Rep. Linda Dean Campbell, also a veteran. "The turnout was awesome and I hope it will be an annual event. It's great when veterans can all get together. It's a testimony and a thank you to those involved because it's a lot of work to put something like this together."

Kattar said he and his family are "so proud" of the memorial, designed by Franklin, New Hampshire architect George Sargent.

"It's very unusual to have this in the middle of the golf course, but our family wanted to do this," he said. "It's so nice because I often see people come out here to sit and remember. There's not a lot of people who aren't touched by veterans."

Kattar worked on the memorial with his close friend, Ed "Hoppy" Curran, Methuen's former director of veterans services. Curran attended Thursday night's event and said the memorial was the perfect backdrop.

"There isn't another golf course around that has this for our veterans," Curran said, praising the work of the Kattar family. "There was a retired Air Force general playing here not too long ago and he was in awe. He couldn't believe it."

Added Curran: "Any time that veterans can get together with other veterans and their families like this is beautiful."

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