Media Release

3:50 p.m.

ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - The veteran community of Alachua County invites you and your family to participate in celebrating Veterans Day 2008 by attending one or more of our planned community events.   The following is a list of activities:

• Thursday, Nov 6, 2008 Buchholz High School will be performing a free patriotic concert starting at 7 p.m. at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.  All veterans and their families will be honored during this concert 
• Friday, Nov 7, staff from the Office of Veteran Services will be conducting Veterans Day Ceremonies at High Springs Community School, Country Day School and Wiles Elementary School from 8 a.m. through 2 p.m. 
• Saturday morning, Nov 8, the Alachua County Military Support Group will be conducting a breakfast fundraiser at Applebee's restaurant on NW 13 St.  Volunteers will be serving a made to order breakfast from 7:30 to 10 a.m.  
•   Later that evening the local Marine Corps League will hold their annual Marine Corps Ball at the Clarion Inn.  If you are a Marine interested in attending contact Greg Williams at 215-3237
• Sunday morning, Nov 9, over 2000 motorcyclists will gather at Santa Fe College for a brief patriotic ceremony, including a Navy jet fly-over, then go on a 23 mile parade through the streets of Gainesville.  Representatives from Guinness's World Book of Records will be on hand to record the 'world's largest and longest Veterans Day Parade'. 
• Later that evening at 6 p.m. at the University of Florida, in Pugh Hall, the documentary "I Just Wanted to Live" featuring veterans sharing their stories of being a POW during WW II will be aired
• At 10:30 am, Nov 11, at Kanapaha Veterans Park as our community comes together and officially celebrates Veterans Day in Alachua County.  Ft. Clarke Middle School Band opens the show and will play a half hour of patriotic music.  At exactly 11 a.m. a formation of WW II aircraft will flyover then circle skydivers bringing down the US Flag.  Honored guests this year will be those veterans that now serve our community in law enforcement and fire rescue.  Featured speakers include Sheriff Sadie Darnell and Public Safety Chief Will May.  Military and public safety equipment will be on static display as will numerous helicopters. Other planned activities include the Young Marines presenting a flag folding ceremony, military re-enactors wearing authentic uniforms from 1776 to the present, a wreath laying ceremony followed by 'echo taps'.  After the ceremony  Gainesville High School Jr ROTC cadets will be cooking up hamburgers and hot dogs.

For further information on any of these events contact Jim Lynch, Alachua County Office of Veteran Services, at 352-264-6740.

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