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Troop greeters barred from handing out food
By Toni-Lynn Robbins
Wednesday, June 20, 2007 - Bangor Daily News
BANGOR — Five hundred thirty-one soldiers stopped for a layover Tuesday afternoon at Bangor International Airport, but not one of them ate a piece of Debbie Bickford’s decadent peanut butter fudge — nor did any indulge in a homemade chocolate brownie or a Maine-famous whoopie pie.
Homemade treats long provided by the area’s volunteer Maine Troop Greeters disappeared at the airport about a month ago after BIA began enforcing a ban on such giveaways.
"I think I speak for most everybody when I say I think it’s very sad we cannot do it," greeter Gary Mock of Hampden said Tuesday. "The cookies, candy and everything we have here is all in support of the troops and to thank them."
Some greeters grumble that the rules changed because of jealous airport vendors, but BIA blames liability and strict rules that must be followed by airport concessionaires.
The airport has become a prominent entry and exit point for planes carrying U.S. military personnel. The volunteers have welcomed almost 500,000 troops since 2003.
BIA allowed the troop greeters to move into a room at the airport in May 2003.
The room in the airport’s main terminal is filled with memorabilia from all the troops who have passed through, either on their departure or return.
Until last month, troops entering the room encountered tables filled with a myriad of cookies, brownies, doughnuts, fudge, candies and, in season, strawberries and Girl Scout cookies.
About a month ago, BIA management told the greeters they could no longer serve the food or beverages, said greeter Bill Knight.
Asked whether vendor pressure prompted the change, Knight said, "I’ve heard those remarks and so forth."
Tony Caruso, the airport’s assistant director, said Tuesday the issue revolves around liability. "We have people who bake things at home, and that is very hard to regulate."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has strict regulations on preparation, temperature control and handling that all airport concessionaires must adhere to, Caruso said. Ensuring that all food is properly prepared and stored is a safety and security issue, he said.
Caruso said the airport supports the troop greeters. He noted that BIA donates the greeters’ room, and that the greeters were told from the start they could not offer food and beverages.
Not so, said longtime greeters Ina Baker and Cathy Czarnecki. The two said they could not recall a time when food items were limited.
"We don’t want to step on anybody’s toes because we don’t want to get kicked out of here," Czarnecki said Tuesday. "It is kind of disappointing the way some of the troops come in here looking for food because we’ve had it in the past."
All of the greeters appreciate the free space and are willing to concede on the food issue if it compromises the room agreement, Czarnecki said.
BIA has not fielded any official complaints from airport businesses concerned about loss of revenue due to the troop greeters’ offerings, Caruso said.
He said the airport wanted to make sure it did not violate any contracts it has with concessionaires, since they hold the exclusive agreement to provide food to travelers.
Next door to the troop greeter room in the airport is the Red Baron Restaurant and Coffee Shop. No managers returned phone calls Tuesday.
The city and BIA officials have vowed to hold a meeting in the near future with the airport concessionaires and troop greeters to devise an agreement and outline foods that greeters can provide, Caruso said.
The greeters also allow troops to call their families during the layovers on cell phones provided by Unicel and U.S. Cellular. Verizon services the pay phones in the airport. When asked if the airport would ban the cell phone usage if Verizon complained about missed revenues, Caruso said, "That would be something between the airport and Verizon, and right now that is not an issue."
Capt. Robert Merry, a Pittston native, was passing through the airport Tuesday afternoon with his Army Reserve unit after a year training the Iraqi army. Merry’s family was at the airport with take-out food containers to welcome the soldier home.
"When we came through a year ago they had all kinds of food here," Merry said. "It added a nice home touch."
http://www.bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=151208&zoneid=500
By Toni-Lynn Robbins
Wednesday, June 20, 2007 - Bangor Daily News
BANGOR — Five hundred thirty-one soldiers stopped for a layover Tuesday afternoon at Bangor International Airport, but not one of them ate a piece of Debbie Bickford’s decadent peanut butter fudge — nor did any indulge in a homemade chocolate brownie or a Maine-famous whoopie pie.
Homemade treats long provided by the area’s volunteer Maine Troop Greeters disappeared at the airport about a month ago after BIA began enforcing a ban on such giveaways.
"I think I speak for most everybody when I say I think it’s very sad we cannot do it," greeter Gary Mock of Hampden said Tuesday. "The cookies, candy and everything we have here is all in support of the troops and to thank them."
Some greeters grumble that the rules changed because of jealous airport vendors, but BIA blames liability and strict rules that must be followed by airport concessionaires.
The airport has become a prominent entry and exit point for planes carrying U.S. military personnel. The volunteers have welcomed almost 500,000 troops since 2003.
BIA allowed the troop greeters to move into a room at the airport in May 2003.
The room in the airport’s main terminal is filled with memorabilia from all the troops who have passed through, either on their departure or return.
Until last month, troops entering the room encountered tables filled with a myriad of cookies, brownies, doughnuts, fudge, candies and, in season, strawberries and Girl Scout cookies.
About a month ago, BIA management told the greeters they could no longer serve the food or beverages, said greeter Bill Knight.
Asked whether vendor pressure prompted the change, Knight said, "I’ve heard those remarks and so forth."
Tony Caruso, the airport’s assistant director, said Tuesday the issue revolves around liability. "We have people who bake things at home, and that is very hard to regulate."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has strict regulations on preparation, temperature control and handling that all airport concessionaires must adhere to, Caruso said. Ensuring that all food is properly prepared and stored is a safety and security issue, he said.
Caruso said the airport supports the troop greeters. He noted that BIA donates the greeters’ room, and that the greeters were told from the start they could not offer food and beverages.
Not so, said longtime greeters Ina Baker and Cathy Czarnecki. The two said they could not recall a time when food items were limited.
"We don’t want to step on anybody’s toes because we don’t want to get kicked out of here," Czarnecki said Tuesday. "It is kind of disappointing the way some of the troops come in here looking for food because we’ve had it in the past."
All of the greeters appreciate the free space and are willing to concede on the food issue if it compromises the room agreement, Czarnecki said.
BIA has not fielded any official complaints from airport businesses concerned about loss of revenue due to the troop greeters’ offerings, Caruso said.
He said the airport wanted to make sure it did not violate any contracts it has with concessionaires, since they hold the exclusive agreement to provide food to travelers.
Next door to the troop greeter room in the airport is the Red Baron Restaurant and Coffee Shop. No managers returned phone calls Tuesday.
The city and BIA officials have vowed to hold a meeting in the near future with the airport concessionaires and troop greeters to devise an agreement and outline foods that greeters can provide, Caruso said.
The greeters also allow troops to call their families during the layovers on cell phones provided by Unicel and U.S. Cellular. Verizon services the pay phones in the airport. When asked if the airport would ban the cell phone usage if Verizon complained about missed revenues, Caruso said, "That would be something between the airport and Verizon, and right now that is not an issue."
Capt. Robert Merry, a Pittston native, was passing through the airport Tuesday afternoon with his Army Reserve unit after a year training the Iraqi army. Merry’s family was at the airport with take-out food containers to welcome the soldier home.
"When we came through a year ago they had all kinds of food here," Merry said. "It added a nice home touch."
http://www.bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=151208&zoneid=500
