Marine Corps birthday celebration Saturday at Hart's Turkey Farm

MEREDITH — The Lakes Region Detachment of the Marine Corps League will hold its 23rd Annual Gathering of Marines on Saturday, Nov. 12, at Hart’s Turkey Farm, at 6 p.m.

This year’s event commemorates the 247th anniversary of the founding of the United States Marine Corps at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia on Nov. 10, 1775.

The commandant’s birthday letter is read and a traditional cake cutting ceremony is held in which the first and second pieces are given to the youngest and the oldest Marine in attendance.

This year’s special guest will be retired Col. Adele E. Hodges. Hodges graduated from Southern Connecticut State College in June 1977 and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1978. In December 1979 she was accepted into in the Enlisted Commissioning Program and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in December 1980. Her assignments included Camp Pendleton and Twentynine Palms, California; Okinawa, Japan; Hawaii; Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas; Quantico, Virginia; Newport, Rhode Island; and Stavanger, Norway. In 2011, Hodges retired after more than 33 years of service. After retiring, Hodges moved back to Connecticut and started a small business. She is the commandant of the Department of Connecticut Marine Corps League and commandant of the Greater Bridgeport Marine Corps League Detachment. She is on the board of directors for the Homes For the Brave in Bridgeport, the Greater Bridgeport Salvation Army, and Greater Bridgeport Veterans Council.

The Marine Corps Birthday celebration is open to Detachment members and their guests only.

To make a reservation, contact Commandant Robert Patenaude at 603-455-0636 or email rppatenaude@aol.com.