The City of Rye and and American Legion Post 128 will continue its tradition of honoring Rye veterans on Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11, 2025. The ceremony will be held at Rye City Hall at 10:30am. The ceremony is planned to be outdoors, weather depending, and will move indoors if necessary.
American Legion Post 128 Commander Fred de Barros will lead the ceremony. He will highlight the American Legion values of the importance of preserving our American traditions and values, improving the quality of life for our nation’s children, caring for veterans and their families, and most importantly, teaching the fundamentals of good citizenship.
This year’s keynote speaker will be Sabrina Murphy, CEO of the Rye YMCA.
Murphy has served as the CEO of the Rye YMCA since 2022, leading the organization through a period of strategic growth, community partnership, and post-flood and pandemic recovery. A lifelong advocate for youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, she is the first woman to serve as CEO of both the Rye YMCA and the Bath Area Family YMCA in Maine.
Before joining the Rye Y, Murphy was CEO of the Bath Area Family YMCA in Midcoast Maine, where she worked closely for 24 years with the U.S. Navy and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, a national leader in designing and building Navy ships. Throughout her Y career, she has partnered with Military OneSource to ensure access to fitness, swimming, and wellness opportunities for service members and their families. She also worked with multiple Navy ship crews preparing for sea trials off the coast of Maine — experiences that deepened her respect and gratitude for those who serve.
Murphy played a key role in the development of a YMCA branch at a former Navy base in Brunswick, Maine, helping to transform the Navy’s fitness center into a YMCA. Her work reflects the Y’s mission to strengthen community — a mission that has long been intertwined with supporting America’s armed forces. She takes great pride in the YMCA of the USA’s and the Rye YMCA’s historic partnership with the military, which dates back more than 150 years — from providing spiritual support on battlefields and recreation for troops abroad to offering housing, childcare, and wellness programs for veterans and their families at home. “Every YMCA has a duty to honor those who serve — by supporting their families, strengthening their communities, and helping them thrive when they return home,” said Murphy.
Originally a high school English teacher, Murphy brings the heart of an educator and the vision of a community builder to her work with a lifelong belief in compassion, service, and human connection. Under her leadership, the Rye YMCA continues to uphold that proud tradition of supporting our community, our service members and our veterans.
Rye City Mayor Josh Cohn, US Representative George Latimer and NYS Assemblyman Steve Otis are expected to deliver remarks. Robin Latimer will be the vocalist. Rye American Legion Post 128 is sponsoring a luncheon for veterans and their families immediately following the ceremony. That location is to be determined.
Read MyRye.com’s veteran coverage.
