Local veteran Frank Averill celebrated his 100th birthday on May 5. He told the Maine Veterans Home – Scarborough that all he wanted was a margarita, courtesy of El Rayo Taqueria. Courtesy photo

SCARBOROUGH — Frank Averill, a Maine Veterans Home-Scarborough resident who served four years in the U.S. Army Air Corps, celebrated his 100th birthday on May 5, Cinco de Mayo, with a margarita.

El Rayo Taqueria, located on Route 1 in Scarborough, provided the margarita, prepared in a special glass with ingredients that were quarantined for at least 48 hours beforehand, said the Maine Veterans Home.

Averill served from 1942 to 1946 in the U.S. Army Air Corps, and he told the Maine Veterans Home that he’s taking everything in stride, saying that turning 100 is just another day for him.

During Averill’s birthday celebration, Scarborough Police and Fire Departments drove by to congratulate him on this milestone.

Scarborough Rep. Chris Caiazzo had two big banners with Averill’s military photo made up for the occasion, the Maine Veterans Home said.

“One of the greatest honors of being a public servant is to be able to express my gratitude and appreciation for those service members who answered the call to serve our country,” he said. “Maine Veterans have been through so much, and that is particularly true for the residents of Maine Veterans Home, who have now had to weather the tragic consequences of a pandemic in a deeply personal way. It underscores how important it is to take these moments to say ‘thank you’ and to celebrate their lives.”

Courtesy photo

Courtesy photo

Maine Veterans’ Homes – Scarborough Activities staffer Thomas Cyr and Frank Averill get ready to cross the finish line of the Maine Vets 5K last year when Frank was 99 years old. Courtesy photo