“I joined because my mom said in some capacity in our life we have to serve our community or give back to our community,” said Polly Hayes. “We’re a big, huge military family.”

She grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin. Three of her seven siblings also served in the Navy. Many nieces and nephews also have served in the military.

“When I got stationed in Puerto Rico I was down by the ships at the piers,” she said. “I use to bring in and tie up the ships.”

She also worked in the engine room before switching over to supply management.

Polly Hayes

“I would make sure the ships got their orders,” she said.

Roger Hayes enlisted in the Navy in 1981. He grew up in Webster City. His late brother served in the Air Force.

“It was a way to get out of my small town,” he said.

Roger Hayes finished in the top 1 percent of his class in naval school, so he got to choose where he got assigned. He chose Puerto Rico and was assigned shore duty. He was part of a small command center that controlled surface ships and told them where to go.

“I worked at the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facility and we did all the operations for the Puerto Rico area,” Roger Hayes said. “Every ship that went to the Mediterranean went through Puerto Rico. It was a crossroads.”

Roger Hayes

Although they were both originally from the Midwest, they didn’t meet until the fall of 1981 while on assignment with the Navy in Puerto Rico. They first locked eyes in an intercultural relations class.

“It was love at first sight,” she said. “Puerto Rico was fate.”

“She was sitting on one side of the room and I was sitting on the other side,” Roger Hayes said. “I switched desks so I could meet her.”

He proposed to her on Oct. 17, 1982, her birthday.

“He does not like Chinese food, but he took me there because I did,” said Polly Hayes.

The couple got married three months later on Jan. 8, 1983, back in the Midwest. It was the day after his birthday.

Polly Hayes originally wanted a spring wedding back home, but the Navy offered them only a select few dates in January. So with input from Polly Hayes over the phone and his mother, they carved out the details for the naval nuptials.

“We had a strict schedule,” said Roger Hayes.

Her wedding dress, handmade in Puerto Rico, was the only thing the couple brought back for their wedding.

He went to night school while in the Navy; Los Angeles Community College to Central Texas Community College (campus on base); New Hampshire College (3 1/2 years of school) and finished with the American College of Computer and Information Sciences.

“I would work all day and then go to class at night,” he said.

After being assigned new orders, Polly Hayes left for Washington, D.C. Roger Hayes followed her to D.C. two months later.

“I took care of supplies and did inventory at the war college,” said Polly Hayes, referring to the National War College at Fort McNair.

During their time in D.C. the Hayes were in the nucleus of yet another military operation unit.

After moving to D.C., Roger Hayes got out of the military and was an accounts director at a mattress company. He then became a systems administrator at the company.

After leaving the military, the couple headed back to the Midwest and bought a house in Stanhope in June of 1990.

After returning to the Midwest, Roger Hayes worked at Electrolux as an IT manager then was a network administrator for Landus Cooperative. Now, he is a project manager for Landus Cooperative.

Polly Hayes worked at the hospital in Webster City and the Stanhope locker before deciding to stay home with the kids.

“When I was younger, I was raised that in some capacity you have to serve your community,” said Polly Hayes. “We passed that down to our children too.”

She is an assistant librarian at the Stanhope Public Library, is a master gardener and volunteers at the Reiman Gardens, Stanhope Lions Club member, president of the Stanhope Development Group, president of the Stanhope Library Foundation, is a member of both the Stanhope Housing Board and Medical Building Board, quilting group and hopes to be a pen-pal with the RSVP program in the near future.

Roger Hayes is also involved in the Stanhope Lions Club, is a Stanhope City Council member, and a member of the toast masters.

Both enjoy volunteering and giving back to their community.

“It’s a fun busy,” she said.

“What we’re doing right now makes us happy,” he added.

The duo hopes to continue giving back to their community through service works and encourage everyone to serve their civic duties.

“It was the best thing I did in my life,” Roger Hayes said. “The Navy gave me discipline. I would recommend that to any child that has not decided what they want or doesn’t have focus.”

“You learn you’re not the biggest thing in this world,” he added. “There are a lot bigger things out there that need to be done.”

“It was interesting to be in the military,” he said. “It was an eye opener.”

“I’ve taught my children to really respect the military,” said Polly Hayes.