Weekend Full of Events to Thank & Honor All Veterans

Santa Barbara’s Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Museum & Library Foundation Sets Weekend Full of Events to Thank & Honor All Veterans
 
 
A man's salute
A man's salute
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Nov. 2, 2013 - PRLog -- Santa Barbara’s Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Museum & Library Foundation

Sets Weekend Full of Events to Thank & Honor All Veterans

Special Guest is Best-Selling Author + Vietnam Veteran Karl Marlantes


(October 20, 2013/Santa Barbara, CA)   Marking the 94th observance of Veterans Day, the weekend of November 9 &10 in Santa Barbara will have four unforgettable events presented by the Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Museum & Library Foundation (PCVM) for everyone to attend and honor all veterans.

This year’s keynote speaker is Karl Marlantes, best-selling author and Rhodes scholar who will be interviewed on stage by Peter Bie, president of the local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America (#218). Both men served two tours in that war. The high profile event, which usually draws more than 500, will salute Col. James Pattillo presenting him with PCVM’s ‘Greatest Generation’ Award. On Sunday at noon, Marlantes and Pattillo will be joined by numerous local veterans’ organizations, active duty military as well as ROTC and Sea Cadets among many others in vintage military vehicles from various conflicts for the annual Veterans Day Parade down State Street. Don’t miss the 18 vintage aircraft doing multiple flyovers in different formations best seen from Cabrillo Blvd. yet visible from all over town at the parade’s end. Just look up when you hear the distinctive roar of the engines. The annual free concert starts at 2:30 pm at the beautiful First Presbyterian Church (21 E. Constance St.) will wrap up the PCVM activities with a flourish.

Pierre Claeyssens, a philanthropist born in Belgium who passed away here in Santa Barbara in 2003, designated the seed money to bring to life the vision he had of a museum that would salute all veterans. His vision has grown guided by the leadership of co-founders Lt. John W. Blankenship (USN) & his wife, Hazel Blankenship and the board of directors. “Wanting to give the veterans of Santa Barbara County and beyond, thanks and acknowledge their service will ‘never be forgotten’ is the tenet we hold near and dear,” said Lt. Blankenship.

If you’re a runner, get a good running start on the weekend with the Santa Barbara Int’l Veterans Marathon (now in its fifth year). Officials have dedicated the last mile of the sanctioned marathon to the Veterans.  Official marathon runners’ shirts will have the words: “The first 25 miles are for me, the last mile is for Veterans.” Residents and visitors are encouraged to line the last mile of the race – starting at the intersection of Cliff Drive & La Marina Drive (@Shoreline Park) down the hill to Santa Barbara City College La Playa Stadium which will be festooned with flags, banners, balloons and military vehicles.  We want to have as many people to come out and cheer the veterans and runners on for the final and hardest mile.  Runners’ registration info is online at www.sbimarathon.com. Deadline for registration will be at the Health and Fitness Expo on Friday, November 8th at the Earl Warren Show Grounds.

Stars & bars come out in force on Saturday evening for the 18th Annual Military Ball that begins at (17:00 hours) 5 pm at Fess Parker's Double Tree Resort where you can mix & mingle, enjoy a delicious steak & shrimp dinner and then dance those calories off to the Swing Shift Band under the direction of Bob Hensen. Local favorite, Anna Abbey is the pianist for the cocktail hour and there will be swing dance instruction at the beginning of the evening as well. At a jaunty 103 years old, Army veteran Pvt. First Class Bea Abrams Cohen, who attended last year’s Ball and was a huge hit with everyone she talked with, returns to the Military Ball to lead the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. She is the oldest living female World War II Veteran in the State of California, and possibly the Nation. Bea is one of the few people alive today who witnessed the beginning of World War I in 1914, when, at age four, she and her brother, sister and mother watched while low-flying airplanes dropped bombs on the factories next to her backyard in Buhush, Romania. Special guest and keynote speaker is Karl Marlantes – a highly decorated veteran who will discuss his experience in Vietnam that left him with PTSD symptoms decades after the war ended and how he has moved through this devastating reality.

Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Museum has assembled an impressive set of ground & air troops for a most memorable weekend. Everyone will be “looking up” for this year’s Veterans Day Parade, beginning at 12 noon with several helicopters to open it and at the close with an astonishing array of 18 vintage & modern aircraft in multiple flyover formations. Some of the aircraft include helicopters, P-51’s; a B-25; a C-47; four or more US T-34s and several Yaks 9s, a.k.a. Nanchangs. The WWII Army jeep, fondly named "Pierre" from Pierre Claeyssens Veteran’s Museum & Library Foundation, leads the parade driven by co-founder of PCVM & a Vietnam Navy pilot, John Blankenship accompanied by Karl Marlantes (featured keynote speaker at the Ball).  Present and accounted for on State Street, the Veterans Day Parade will have nearly 200 participants and includes members from all of the armed forces; Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, UCSB’s ROTC Surfrider Battalion, and the Merchant Marines. Veteran's Day Parade starts at the 1400 block of State (@ Sola St.) and will head south down State St., turning west on Cabrillo Blvd. where it finishes at the Veteran’s Memorial Building, 112. W. Cabrillo Blvd.


Concluding the festivities on a high note the free concert at 2:30pm in First Presbyterian Church, corner of State & Constance Sts. will give special honors to Korean War veterans as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the armistice of the Korean War. Produced by PCVM Board member Marilyn Gilbert, the guests on the program include: Brigadier General Fred Lopez (USMC) as featured speaker, his grandson Ryan Marsh will lead the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance and John Blankenship will open and close the program complete with a color guard.  Westmont College Orchestra conducted by Dr. Michael Shasberger joined by the Santa Barbara Choral Society, under the direction of Joanne Wasserman with soloist’s soprano Celeste Tavera and baritone Emil Cristescu complete the program. Monday (11.11) is when the National Holiday is observed.  Remember to thank the veterans and active duty military you see this weekend for their service.

For more information about the Veterans Day Weekend events, presented by the PCVM please call (805) 966-1660 or logon to the website or Facebook page for additional info.

Photos are available for all events upon request

“To be killed in war is not the worst that can happen. To be lost is not the worst that can happen…to be forgotten is the worst.  – Pierre Claeyssens (1909 – 2003)

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