Senator Hassan Recognizes Mike Folan of Alton as June’s Granite Stater of the Month
WASHINGTON – Following the 80th anniversary of D-Day, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan recognized Mike Folan of Alton as June’s Granite Stater of the Month. Mike is honoring the memory of New Hampshire service members through his volunteer efforts at the Wright Museum of World War II in Wolfeboro, and through his work as a high school teacher inspiring the next generation to learn about the remarkable sacrifices that Granite Staters who lost their lives on D-Day made.
At the Wright Museum and at Prospect Mountain High School, Mike has helped Granite Staters of all ages learn more about World War II. As a docent at the museum for more than 25 years, he helps welcome visitors and answer any questions that they may have about World War II or the exhibits. Mike has brought what he has learned at the museum to his work at Prospect Mountain High School, where he has taught social studies for 18 years. He ordered the individual deceased personnel files of 10 Granite Staters from the National Archives, including four service members who died on D-Day, and gathered 10 students at the school who were interested in independently researching the lives of the service members. The students reconstructed the lives of the Granite Staters and honored their memories on the 80th anniversary of D-Day in a presentation at the Wright Museum.
Senator Hassan launched the “Granite Stater of the Month” initiative in 2017 to recognize outstanding New Hampshire citizens who go above and beyond to help their neighbors and make their communities stronger. To nominate a New Hampshire citizen to be a “Granite Stater of the Month,” constituents can complete the nomination form here.
To read Senator Hassan’s statement for the Congressional Record, see below.
M. President, I am honored to recognize Mike Folan of Alton as June’s Granite Stater of the Month. Mike is honoring the memory of New Hampshire service members through his volunteer efforts at the Wright Museum of World War II in Wolfeboro and through his work as a high school teacher inspiring the next generation to learn about the remarkable sacrifices that Granite Staters who lost their lives on D-Day made. His dedication to these efforts is particularly important now, as we have just marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day earlier this month.
During World War II, Mike’s father and uncle served in the Navy and the Army, and he grew up hearing from veterans who lived in his neighborhood about what they experienced during the war. Learning about their heroism inspired Mike to study the war and work to honor the legacy of these service members.
At the Wright Museum and at Prospect Mountain High School, Mike has helped Granite Staters of all ages learn more about World War II and its ongoing significance today. As a docent at the Wright Museum for more than 25 years, he helps welcome visitors and answer any questions they may have about World War II or the exhibits. Mike has brought what he has learned at the museum to his work at Prospect Mountain High School, where he has taught social studies for 18 years. Mike first learned at the museum that when service members were killed overseas, they were often buried immediately without much, if any, knowledge of their background or personal history. During the post-war process, a series of documents – called an individual deceased personnel file – was created for each service member. Mike ordered the individual deceased personnel files of 10 Granite Staters, including four who died on D-Day, and gathered 10 students at Prospect Mountain High School who were interested in independently researching the lives of the service members. The students reconstructed the lives of the Granite Staters and honored their memories on the 80th anniversary of D-Day in a presentation at the Wright Museum.
As the daughter of a World War II veteran, I am particularly grateful for Mike’s mission to honor the legacy of those who served and keep their memories alive. I had the pleasure of meeting Mike and some of his students earlier this month, after I returned from a bipartisan Congressional Delegation trip to Normandy to commemorate the anniversary of D-Day. It was inspiring to hear the students’ enthusiasm for their projects and what they learned about the war during their studies. The students discussed the connection that they felt to the men who they studied, and were particularly interested to hear that on our delegation trip, Senator Jeanne Shaheen and I were able to pay our respects at the grave of Private First Class Raymond Cole, one of the men whom the students studied. It was clear from my conversation with the students that Mike’s leadership in creating this research project sparked even deeper appreciation for everything that service members did to win World War II and save the world from Hitler.
Mike’s commitment to honoring the lives of Granite Staters who fought for freedom in World War II exemplifies the Granite State spirit of recognizing the courage and sacrifice of those who serve. His dedication to keeping history alive and inspiring new generations to do the same is why I am honored to recognize him as Granite Stater of the Month.
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