Maine military moms celebrate new chapter of Blue Star Mothers of America
Maine Mothers Launch First State Chapter of Blue Star Mothers of America
In Augusta, a quiet ceremony on Wednesday set the stage for the first Maine chapter of the national nonprofit Blue Star Mothers of America. The organization, which has supported more than 6,000 families across 200 chapters nationwide, will now have a presence in the state thanks to the efforts of Rosie Vanadestine of Skowhegan and Jane Thorndike of Avon, whose sons serve as gunnery sergeants in the U.S. Marines.
From a Need on the Ground to a Statewide Initiative
The idea sparked in March 2026 when the escalation of the war in Iran made the situation for military families in Maine feel even more precarious. Vanadestine, who became a mother of a Marine in 2022, discovered that Maine had no active Blue Star Mothers chapter. “When my child entered the service, I realized we had no local chapter,” she said. “I started outreach, and the momentum grew quickly.”
Working with ten other military mothers—including Thorndike, whose son, Gunnery Sergeant Barry Thorndike II, recently returned from a seven‑month deployment aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln—Vanadestine organized a group that would formally apply for the state charter. The national organization approved the application, and an installation ceremony was held at the national level in late May. Now the local chapter is ready to launch in earnest.
What the Chapter Will Do
“The more I learn and the more organizations we connect to, the more excited I am about what Blue Star Mothers of America ME3 will accomplish,” Vanadestine told a group of supporters in an email. The Maine chapter will provide peer support for families, send care packages to deployed service members, assist veterans and Gold Star families, and partner with local veteran and military groups on community service projects.
Blue Star Mothers of America is a nonprofit founded in 1942, chartered by Congress in 1960. Membership is open to mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, foster mothers, and female legal guardians of active‑duty personnel, National Guard, Reservists, veterans and fallen service members. Associate membership is available for others who wish to volunteer and support the mission.
Celebrating the Milestone in Augusta
The chapter’s launch will be marked on October 25 at 2 p.m. in the lobby of VFW Post 886 on Leighton Road in Augusta. The event will bring together military families, veteran organizations, elected officials, community leaders and members of the public. Maj. Gen. Diane L. Dunn, the 41st adjutant general of the Maine National Guard and commissioner of the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, will deliver a keynote address. Light refreshments will follow.
“We want to celebrate this milestone and formally launch the new Maine chapter,” said Vanadestine. “Military families should never have to walk this journey alone. Our mission is to support troops, veterans, military families, and the families of fallen heroes while supporting one another through every stage of military life.”
A Family’s Return
Thorndike’s son, Barry Thorndike II, was aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln for more than seven months in the Middle East before the carrier docked in San Diego on Thursday. He will now be stationed there for the next two years. “Both my boys will stand on U.S. soil again,” Thorndike wrote on Thursday. “I thank God and that hardworking USS Abraham Lincoln crew for getting him back to us.”
Thorndike’s husband and sister‑in‑law were traveling to see him Wednesday. Thorndike, who works in a civilian capacity, stayed behind due to obligations. “Once a mom, always a mom,” she added in her message about the organization’s support network.
How to Get Involved
Those interested in joining or learning more can contact Vanadestine by email at [email protected] or by phone at 207‑576‑2960. The chapter’s opening ceremony is open to anyone who wants to support the organization’s mission or simply learn about the new chapter.
With this new chapter, Maine mothers now have a formal structure to lean on, share experiences, and help keep families connected during the demanding cycles of military life. The Blue Star Mothers of America’s first Maine chapter promises to be a lifeline for the state’s many military families as they navigate service, deployment, and the challenges of life at home.
