Opening Ceremony for Veterans Homecoming
With activities as diverse as skydivers, an A-10 flyover, chalk artistry and world class baton twirling and a host of Branson celebrities as well as Oklahoma’s Chairman of Veterans Affairs Senator Norman A. Lamb and Missouri’s Lt. Gov. Joe Maxwell, opening events for the nation’s largest Veterans Day celebration held in Branson, Mo., includes an outdoor and an indoor pre-show plus the official opening ceremony at Mansion America on Wednesday, Nov. 5.
All opening events are free to the public with the outdoor events beginning at 11:30 a.m. with a three unit formation of A-10 Warthogs, also know as the Thunderbolt, the Flying Gun and the Tankbuster, by a reserve unit out of Whiteman Air Force Base. Outdoor events will continue with lunch available for purchase on the grounds and a brass band concert. At 12:30 p.m. Freefall Express skydivers from Mount Vernon, Mo., will drop in.
Following the skydivers doors to the Mansion America theater will open for the pre-show in the theater with open seating in the theater and the opening ceremony officially begins at 2 p.m. with a welcome by Branson Mayor Lou Schaefer who has declared Nov. 5-11 as National Veterans Appreciation Week in Branson.
“This year opening ceremony will be extra special and different from past openings,” said Bill Groninger, executive director of the Branson Veterans Task Force, the non-profit organization which sponsors Veterans Homecoming. “With the theme of Legends and Legacy, the ninth annual Veterans Homecoming Nov. 5 – 11 in Branson, Mo., is honoring the Native American soldier.”
According to the show producer Carolyn Snow, Fred Travalena and Bob Anderson will host the event. The Hughes Brothers, Barbara Fairchild, Roy Morris, John Wain, Mike Radford, Dalena Ditto, Judy Hartley, Delene and Folin Ponce De Leon are among the Branson Veterans Task Force sponsors who have committed to perform. Also scheduled to appear are members of the nation’s only little league of entertainers American Kids Inc. including Nick Gibson who will wear his traditional Native American tribal dress for the National Anthem and Aly Akers, a world class twirler, who will present a patriotic twirling routine honoring the military.
“Unique to this event will be a presentation by Richard Hight, an award winning artist, teacher, motivational and inspirational speaker, who will create a six by eight foot piece of chalk art as he gives an inspiring message,” said Snow, a Task Force sponsor and volunteer who also produced last year’s opening ceremony.
Snow, a winner of the CINE Golden Eagle Award for her film MS 99128 which toured the world’s film festivals, has produced the acclaimed patriotic Raising America Show, the award winning The Will and the Wind and also an eight year series of shows on the Gazebo Stage at Silver Dollar City, most recently Home is Where the Heart is.
For more information call the Branson Veterans Task Force at 417-337-8387.