Upcoming Central Florida patriotic and veterans events

UPDATE TIME CHANGE FOR TOMORROW SEPTEMBER 15, 2012

**Sat. Sep 15 – Navy Chief’s Pinning Ceremony – 9 Navy Reserve Chiefs will be honored at 9 am (instead of 10 AM) at the Armed Forces Reserve Center, 9500 Armed Forces Drive, Orlando, 32827. (Located just west of Orlando International Airport (OIA) just off of Tradeport Drive.)

POC: the new Executive Officer - LCR Michael Van Horn - Work: 407-816-2762 michael.vanhorn@navy.mil

The new Commander – CDR Thomas E. Dixon - thomas.e.dixon@navy.mil

Upcoming Central Florida patriotic and veterans events are collected and publicized by Cathy Haynes every month so that we can find out what is going on in our area. I keep trying to tell people that if they think I'm busy, Cathy makes me look lazy!

Fri. Sep 14 – City of Orlando observance of POW-MIA Recognition Day Ceremony in the Orlando City Hall rotunda, 400 S. Orange Ave., Orlando. 10 am VFW Band, Winter Springs JROTC performs the missing man table ceremony. FREE Parking will be available in the City Commons parking garage located on the southwest corner of Boone Ave. and South St. IF you bring your garage ticket for sticker validation. www.cityoforlando.org

**Sat. Sep 14 – Navy Chief’s Pinning Ceremony – 9 Navy Reserve Chiefs will be honored at 10 am at the Armed Forces Reserve Center, 9500 Armed Forces Drive, Orlando, 32827. (Located just west of Orlando International Airport (OIA) just off of Tradeport Drive.)

**Sat. Sep 15 – National Military Voter Readiness Day – Be sure that your military loved ones register for their absentee ballots, if applicable. It takes 45 days for our military overseas to vote. Non-partisan military voter protection project wants to have their voices heard on Election Day.
www.heroesvote.org and www.bluestarfamilies.org

**Sat. Sep. 15 - 9/11 Tribute and Navy Top Gun Event in Baldwin Park - Take part in the largest first annual 9/11 Tribute honoring our fallen soldiers and civilians and the heroes in the US Navy on Sat. Sept. 15. 5-11pm. This unique event takes place on the former grounds of the closed Orlando Navy Recruit Training Base now known as Baldwin Park. Funds raised will help obtain the Lone Sailor Monument to commemorate the former training base site where hundreds of thousands of recruits started their military lives. Features: Military and museum displays, SPECWAR vehicle, PT Drills, US Navy and Navy SEALs meet and greet, NJROTC and Sea Cadets, Volleyball-Cornhole-BeerPong tournaments, trivia and costume contests and much more! 9pm Special showing of “Top Gun” movie. $10 advance tickets, $12 at door.
For more info: laura@gameplanmedia.info 407-900-1915 Corporate sponsorships welcomed. http://topgunusnavy911.eventbrite.com

**Sun. Sep 16 - Thank You Veterans Cruise Raffle - $20 chance to join the Cruise for FREE!
Win a Free Stateroom aboard the Royal Caribbean’s Monarch of the Sea to the Bahamas. Departs from Port Canaveral on Fri. Dec. 7 and returns on Mon. Dec. 10. Includes stateroom for 2, port charges and gratuities, plus $50 on-board credit. Drawing to be held at the Museum on Sun. night Sept. 16. (Need not be present to win.) The same night is the fundraiser band – JeNDeR playing. Reservations are still being taken to join Thank You Veterans Cruise at a special price. Donations accepted to provide Cruise for a wounded warriors and guest.
Info: 407-679-6674 www.thankyouveteranscruise.org/
Sponsored by the Cpl. Larry E. Smedley National Vietnam War Museum (aka “the Bunker”), 3400 N. Tanner Rd., Orlando, 32826 New website: www . BunkerFlorida . org

**Mon – Sun Sept 17-23 – Constitution Week – 225th Anniversary of the Constitution of the United States. “ The weeklong commemoration of America’s most important document is one of our country’s least known official observances. Our Constitution stands as a testament to the tenacity of Americans throughout history to maintain their liberties and freedom, and to ensure those inalienable rights to every American.” “In 1955, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) petitioned Congress to set aside September 17-23 annually to be dedicated for the observance of Constitution Week.” “… later adopted by the U.S. Congress and signed into Public Law #915 on August 2, 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The aims of the celebration are to (1) emphasize citizens’ responsibilities for protecting and defending the Constitution, preserving it for posterity; (2) inform the people that the Constitution is the basis for America’s great heritage and the foundation for our way of life; and (3) encourage the study of the historical events which led to the framing of the Constitution in September 1787.” www.dar.org

**Mon – Fri Sep 17 – 21 - Vietnam Veterans of America sponsoring Agent Orange Town Hall meetings. Listed below are the dates, city and time of meetings. Contact the local VVoA chapter for the specific location. POC: Tom Hall at 813-655-7129 http://www.vvof.org/
Sept. 17, Tampa, Chapter 787 7 p.m.
Sept. 18 Jacksonville, Chapters 1046 and 1059 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 19 Vero Beach, Chapter 1038 7 p.m.
Sept. 20 Brighton Seminole Reservation Veterans Building 11:00 a.m.
Sept. 21 West Palm Beach, Chapter 7 p.m.

**Wed Sept 19 – New Non-profit group meeting – Florida Association of Veteran and Service Disabled Vet Owned Businesses at 11:30 AM, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Aerie 3496, 1900 S. Goldenrod Road, Winter Park, FL 32792. This non-profit group will be promoting fellow veteran businesses and furthering their involvement in government contracting. There are volunteer opportunities and networking. For info: 407-425-1390 ext. 102 or Vmurphy@blue-cord.com

**Fri Sept 21 – POW-MIA Day Recognition Ceremony – Osceola County, Old Town, 5770 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy., Kissimmee, FL 34746, at 6 PM at the Old Town Stage. For info – 407-396-4888.

**Sun Sept 23 - Villages Honor Flight will take 26 World War II veterans to Washington DC to visit the WWII memorial, other memorials and Arlington National Cemetery in a one day trip. Arrival at OIA in morning at approx. 6:20 a.m.; Departing Orlando at 7:50 a.m. on Southwest # 3249. Return to Orlando at 9 p.m. on Southwest # 805 from Baltimore. Terminal A, Airside 2 (Gates 100-129) Come welcome them home at the airport! Or at American Legion Hall at Rolling Acres Rd. and County Rd. 466 in Lady Lake for a homecoming celebration at approximately 11 p.m. Free parking has been arranged. Contact me for details. chaynes11629@yahoo.com

**Fri. and Sat. Sept. 28 and 29 – Volunteers wanted for a Building Brigade of a specially adapted home for wounded soldier Army SSG Joseph Beimfohr – Homes for Our Troops –in Wesley Chapel, FL (west of Zephrhills, north of Tampa – abt. 80 miles from Orlando) This is one of two homes being built in FL by this group. (Charity Navigator rating of 4 out of 4 stars.) Building continues for the home of Marine GySgt John Hayes - Landscape Volunteer Day will be Oct 13.in St. Augustine. www.homeforourtroops.org

**Sat. Sept. 29 – Orange County Stand Down for homeless veterans. Volunteers needed to assist from 9am – 2pm, downtown Orlando Recreation Center at 649 W. Livingston St., Orlando – within walking distance from the LYNX bus terminal. Make color copies of the information flyer and give the homeless veterans – it will provide FREE bus transportation to the terminal. (Bus drivers will only accept COLOR copies.) Medical care, dental screening, haircuts, clothing, VA benefits, food and more. Contact Orlando VAMC at 321-397-6885 or 407-893-0133 x 107 to volunteer. You may also contact me to receive the flyer to print. Over 300 persons received assistance last year.

**Sat. Sept. 29 - Home Dedication for Army Sgt. Andrew Berry and his family. Sgt. Berry was severely wounded in 2006 in his eighth – yes, eighth - IED blast. Building Homes for Heroes is built him a specially adapted home. Come welcome them into the home at 1 PM, in St. Cloud. Andrew and his wife, Rebecca, grew up locally – graduating from Colonial H.S. and Boone H.S. They have 4 sons. www.buildinghomesforheroes.org

**Sat. Sept 29 - Space Coast Honor Flight will take 26 World War II veterans to Washington DC to visit the WWII memorial, other memorials and Arlington National Cemetery in a one day trip. I do not have the times for OIA departure or arrival yet. But a homecoming will definitely be planned for the airport terminal in the evening. Free parking has been arranged. Contact me for details. chaynes11629@yahoo.com

**Sun. Sept 30 – Ceremony honoring Gold Star Mothers and Families from Central Florida – Orlando City Hall Rotunda, 400 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, 32801. 3 PM sponsored by VITAS, Baldwin-Fairchild Funeral Homes, and City of Orlando. FREE Parking will be available in the City Commons parking garage located on the southwest corner of Boone Ave. and South St . For info – call Jean at 407-691-4548.

**Sun. Oct 7 - Honor Flight of Central Florida - will take 25 World War II veterans to Washington DC to visit the WWII memorial, other memorials and Arlington National Cemetery in a one day trip. Come see them depart in the morning btwn 4;30-5 AM, Southwest Airlines, Terminal A, Airside 2 (Gates 100-129) and especially to welcome them home in the evening, Southwest Airlines #187 returning from Baltimore at 8:30 PM, same terminal. This is the last Honor Flight Central Florida for 2012. Flights will resume next year and sponsoring donations for them are welcomed!

**Fri. Oct 12 – Central Florida Navy League Golf Tournament fund raiser for scholarships and other support programs. 8 am shotgun start. Rio Pinar Country Club, 8600 El Prado Ave., Orlando, 32825. $80 pp or $40 for active duty personnel includes BBQ lunch, drinks, more. Sponsorships welcomed. For information see www.cfnavyleague.org or call Bob at 321-452-9160

**Sat. Oct 13 – 237th Navy Birthday Ball sponsored by the Central Florida Navy League. “In Honor of the Enlisted Sailor” theme, at Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport. For information see www.cfnavyleague.org or call 407.600.5395 or 407.380.4691.

**Sat. Oct 13 – Stand Down for homeless veterans in Brevard County; Volunteers, sponsors and vendor tables wanted at 2 locations, 8am – 3pm at Titusville and Palm Bay. Sponsored by National Veterans Homeless Support – www.nvhs.us/standdown or 888-787-6847 x809.

**Mon. Nov 5 – Pars and Stripes Forever Golf Tournament at Orlando Country Club – fundraiser sponsored by Cameraderie Foundation to provide counseling needs to military personnel and/or their families. Sponsorships welcomed! http://www.camaraderiefoundation.com/events-2/ (407) 841-0071

**Sat. Nov 17 – Ruck Sack March - “March a mile in their boots” – fundraiser sponsored Cameraderie Foundation to provide counseling needs to military personnel and/or their families. Walking with weighted backpacks – less than what our military have to carry; multi-route lengths, something for everyone. Are you up to it? Sponsorships welcomed! (407) 841-0071 http://www.camaraderiefoundation.com/