Patriotism in action was witnessed at the 243rd birthday of our nation. The Veterans Council of Indian River County’s bus and float, together with the American Legion Color Guard, led this year’s 2.4-mile Sebastian Independence Day Parade. The Veterans Council and friends, including the Parisian Hostess PinUp girls, passed out 3,000 American flags to commemorate the occasion. The PinUp girls were dolled up in WWII era outfits similar to the “nose art” that was displayed on many of the era’s airplanes.
The Veterans Council’s float; trailer and truck were contributed by Robert Lucas of Lucas Construction who is a very generous supporter of the Veterans Council and our nations veterans. It was assembled and decorated by Col Marty Zickert. The parade float was developed to participate in the July 4th parade, the Vero Beach Centennial parade and the Christmas parade to showcase veterans’ services and to reach fellow veterans who may not be aware of the Veterans Council of Indian River County.
“There are many in our community who are not aware of the Veterans Council and the important services and programs we offer, such as the ‘Veterans Helping Veterans’ or the ‘Upward American Veterans’ programs that provide direct aid” says Board President, Colonel Sam Kouns, US Army (ret). “Our participation in the parade and many other community events are a great way to reach veterans who may not know about the council and what we do. We want veterans to know there is a network here and we welcome them whether they need help or want to help”.
Mission of Veterans Council of Indian River County:
The mission of the Veterans Council of Indian River County is to support all Indian River County veterans through the collective effort of veteran’s organizations, civic associations, and the local community, thereby raising awareness of veterans’ needs and of their contributions to society.
For more information about the Veterans Council of Indian River County, visit http://helpIRCvets.org or call (772) 410-5820
By Michele Peters