HONORING OUR VETERANS

There are several ways you can express your gratitude and show your support for our local veterans in May. Here are a few suggestions:

Golden Isles Veterans Village & Nine Line Foundation Heroes Golf Tournament

On Friday, May 12, the Jekyll Island Golf Club will host the Golden Isles Veterans Village & Nine Line Foundation Heroes Golf Tournament with all proceeds, including donations and sponsorships, going to Golden Isles Veterans Village. This village of 30 tiny homes and community center designed to provide supportive housing and a community for homeless veterans is currently under construction at the corner of G. Street and MLK Jr. Blvd. in Brunswick and needs additional support financial and volunteer support from the community to reach completion.

Your participation in the golf tournament would provide welcome funds. Registration for each 4-person team is $600; individuals $150; and hole sponsors $200. Other levels of sponsorship are also available. Registration is at 7:30 a.m. with shotgun start at 9:00 a.m. For more information, contact Regina Wages at events@ninelinefoundation.org or 912.461.1249. Register and pay online at goldenislesveteransvillage.org.

Coastal Georgia Honor Flight

On Saturday, May 13, Coastal Georgia Honor Flight will honor local veterans with a private, chartered flight to Washington D.C. where they can visit the national monuments dedicated to the conflicts and branches of the military in which they served. Volunteers may still be needed for assistance with that flight. Community members of all ages are also invited to come out to the Brunswick-Golden Isles Airport the evening of the flight’s return on May 13 to welcome home our veterans with patriotic signs and fanfare. This is our way of giving them the warm and ceremonious welcome they may never have received during their time of service. Monetary donations are also needed for these flights because every veteran who wants to participate is given the opportunity free of charge. Please visit coastalgeorgiahonorflight.org for more detailed information, volunteer and giving opportunities. Watch their Facebook page and the Brunswick-Golden Isles Airport page for additional information about the timing of Coastal Georgia Honor Flight’s return the evening of May 13.

Left: This year marks the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force’s third annual Flags for the Fallen public program. From May 26-29, the museum’s Memorial Garden will be awash in 26,000 48-star U.S. flags. Each flag represents an Eighth airman killed in service to his country in World War II. (Photo courtesy of NMMEAF)

St. Simon’s Rotary TAPS at Twilight Memorial Day Commemoration

Here on St. Simons Island, we honor the men and women who have fallen in service of our country, those who valiantly served and returned, and those who serve today at the annual St. Simon’s Rotary TAPS at Twilight program on Memorial Day. This tradition, begun in 1991 and presented by the St. Simons Island Rotary will continue Monday, May 29, at Neptune Park. Patriotic music will be performed by The Golden Isles Community Band from the St. Simons Casino bandstand beginning at 5:45 p.m. The program will commence promptly at 6:45 p.m. The event is free and open to the public; guests are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets as seating is not provided. This year’s guest speaker is Lt. Col. Robert C. Cuthbertsons, a US Army Special Forces officer and Garrison Commander of Hunter Army Airfield. The floral wreath presentation will be by St. Simons Rotarian West Point graduate, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Dick James. There will be an honor guard presentation, bagpipe music by Scott Townley, patriotic music includes anthems for each branch of service and the National Anthem, and the ceremony will conclude with the playing of Taps. Visit the St. Simons Rotary website for more details at ssirotary.org.

St. Simons Rotary appreciates the help of Glynn County Parks & Recreation Department, the Glynn County Police Department, and the many others throughout the Golden Isles whose support make this community event possible. Please come out to TAPS at Twilight to gather as a community and pay our respects to those courageous souls, like Major Luckadoo, who have served our country so valiantly.