A flag with a message of hope to residents and staff at Maine Veterans’ Home – Scarborough. Courtesy Laurie Bernard

SCARBOROUGH — While residents living in the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough are unable to receive visitors amid the coronavirus pandemic, there are still ways that the community can show support to its veterans.

The Maine Veterans Home, with locations throughout Maine, has created a spot on its website for the public to find resources to show support, including digital cards or coloring book pages.

Parents who visit mainevets.org/community-support/ will find digital coloring book pages that they can print out for their children. The Maine Veterans Home’s website said that the finished pages can be uploaded digitally, through links found on the website, and staff will present the piece to residents.

Pictures do not have to be for any specific resident, said the Maine Veteran’s Home. They can be uploaded to the organization’s main Facebook page to be shared with everyone.

An example of one of the coloring book pages that the Maine Veterans Home has available for printing on its website. Children can color the picture in and have their parents or guardians upload the photo digitally, as a way to show support to Maine veterans during this pandemic. Courtesy photo of the Maine Veterans Home

According to the Scarborough location’s Facebook page, the facility would prefer not to receive care packages or physical cards at this time.

On April 23, the Maine Veterans Home announced in a release that 31 residents and 20 staff at the Scarborough location had tested positive for Covid-19.

Gov. Janet Mills had approved the Scarborough location to fly the United States flag at half-mast from May 10 to 24, in memory of the 14 veterans who had passed away from the virus, said a release.

“This is a fitting tribute to our veterans who
served their nation and who now have been tragically lost to this awful and unforgiving pandemic,” said Kelley Kash, CEO of the Maine Veterans Home.

Additional remote communication options for family members can be found at mainevets.org/locations/scarborough/.

Those interested can also make donations at mainevets.org/locations/scarboroughdonations/.