Marauders honor 12 local veterans
A little rain may have dampened the Bradenton Marauders Military Appreciation Night festivities, but it certainly didn’t ruin the proceedings.
For the second year in a row, the Marauders honored local veterans for their service to country with a daylong schedule of activities.
The day started at LECOM Park at 9 a.m. when team staff played host to a packing party for Manatee Operation Troop Support. The team collected non-perishable food items and personal products, such as toothpaste and toothbrushes, at the stadium for the past two weeks.
During the packing party, which was open to the public, fans could write letters to local soldiers serving overseas or create crafts.
In the evening, 12 local veterans were honored in pregame ceremonies. The first 1,000 fans through the gates received a Military Heroes card set that honored the 12. Each veteran, or a representative, was honored on the field before the game. The ceremony concluded only moments before the rain arrived, forcing the tarp to be placed on the field and delaying the start of the Marauders’ game against Palm Beach.
Military Appreciation Night
The 12 individuals honored by the Bradenton Marauders on Saturday:
Lyle Allen, staff sergeant (U.S. Army)
George J. Blysak, brigadier general (U.S. Army National Guard)
Donald Courtney, chief warrant officer four (U.S. Army)
Alvis “Todd” Domerese, staff sergeant (U.S. Army)
Thomas M. Frew Jr., staff sergeant (U.S. Marine Corps)
Robert Friend, lieutenant colonel (Tuskegee Airmen, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force)
Frederick J. Graves, colonel (U.S. Air Force Medical Corps)
Jared Hammond, captain (U.S. Army)
Winifred “Wendy” Hobson, member (U.S. Navy WAVE)
Gerard F. Koontz, Sr., lieutenant colonel (U.S. Air Force)
Tarek Mekhail, colonel (U.S. Army)
Ralph Torralva, E9 master chief (U.S. Coast Guard)
This story was originally published May 13, 2017 at 10:43 PM with the headline "Marauders honor 12 local veterans."