Events set for Veterans Day in Manatee, Sarasota

MANATEE -- Several Veterans Day events are scheduled for Manatee and Sarasota counties, including the following:

At 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, a Veterans Day ceremony will be held at Bradenton's Vietnam War Honor Roll monument at Veterans Park, located just north of Manatee Memorial Hospital. The names of 31 Manatee County residents are listed on the monument. One more name will be added Wednesday.

Marine Sgt. John R. Holmes, wounded in a mortar attack during the Tet Offensive on Jan. 31, 1968, was in a coma for 33 years before dying at Bay Pines VA Medical Center in 2001.

From 7-9 a.m. Wednesday, the Sarasota Kiwanis Club will host an open-to-the-public Veterans' Day Breakfast and program benefiting the Sarasota Kiwanis Foundation and Goodwill Manasota's Veterans Services. The event will feature keynote speaker Brigadier General Charles Shugg, a retired vice commander of the 24th Air Force in Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The 24th Air Force provides combatant commanders with trained and ready cyber forces that plan and conduct cyberspace operations.

The breakfast is at Robarts Arena, 3000 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota. Tickets are $25 per person. To register, contact Kim Noyes at (941) 925.2970 or SRQKiwanisVeteransDayBreakfast@gmail.com.

At 10:15 a.m. the 2015 Veterans Day Parade, hosted by the Manatee County Veterans's Council, will begin at the Manatee County Fairgrounds, 1402 14th Ave. W., Palmetto. This year's theme is, "Welcome Home Viet Nam Vets."

The parade marches south on 11th Avenue West and ends at Sutton Park, 1050 Sixth St. W., Palmetto. The Manatee Concert Band will perform in the park from 9:30- 10:15 a.m. The service begins at 11 a.m. Retired Army Col. Gil Ruderman, a Vietnam War veteran, will be the keynote speaker for the memorial service at Sutton Park after the parade.

During the service, the Manatee County Veterans Council will recognize Veteran of the Year Stuart (Stu) Taube of American Legion Post 325; Auxiliary Member of the Year James (Jim) Brown of American Legion Kirby Stewart Post 24 Sons; and Non-Veteran or Organization of the Year Geoff Segar of Palmetto.

At 10 a.m. Wednesday, the Sarasota Veterans Day Parade starts at the corner of Osprey Avenue and U.S. 301 in Sarasota. The parade proceeds down Main Street to J. D. Hamel Park on Gulfstream where a ceremony is held at roughly 11:00 a.m. The event is sponsored by the Sarasota Patriotic Observance Committee.

At 10 a.m. Wednesday a Veterans Day Observance and Ceremony will be held at Patriot's Park in Venice. The site is Venetia Bay Boulevard just off U.S. 41 south of Roberts Bay on the east side of U.S 41 just north of the Legacy Trail Bridge. Attendees are urged to bring chairs. The event is sponsored by American Legion NO-VEL Post 159 in Venice. Following the ceremony all veterans are invited back for the Veteran's Day Open House at 1770 E. Venice Ave., Venice. Information: 941-488-1157.

At 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, a Veterans Day Parade and Honor Program with Longboat Key veterans will be held. A VFW Color Guard, a fire truck, and marching band are scheduled. Veterans, family members and survivors from all eras are invited. The parade will proceed from Bay Isles Road behind the Publix Supermarket to Temple Beth Israel. A program of "Memorable Moments" will be held followed by refreshments for participants in the parade. Information: jackrozance@att.net or eugenelu@comcast.net.

At 2 45 p.m. Wednesday, the Annual Veterans Day Mass is being held at the Sarasota National Cemetery, 9515 State Road 72, Sarasota. The cemetery is five miles east of Interstate-75. The Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Frank J. Dewane. Active military personnel are encouraged to wear their uniform.

At 9 a.m. Thursday, Freedom Elementary School, 9515 State Road 64, Bradenton, will have its "Let Freedom Ring" ceremony.

This story was originally published November 10, 2015 at 1:22 PM with the headline "Events set for Veterans Day in Manatee, Sarasota ."