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VOL. 1/ ISSUE 11
FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013
Theater packed for ‘Honor Flight’ movie Last-minute push sold out three of four showings By Patrick McCallister For Veteran Voice The show went on … four times. Thanks to an unexpected outpouring of support, on Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 9 and 10, the movie “Honor Flight” made its local debut at Carmike Cinema 14, 1900 N.W. Courtyard Circle, Port St. Lucie. Vanessa Smolen, a local Honor Flight Network volunteer, found out about the movie by accident when browsing the web. She came upon a trailer for the documentary that follows World War II veterans as they participated in the Honor Flights program. “I sat there and cried the entire time,” Smolen said in an interview before the local showings. The Honor Flight Network is a national program that takes World War II veterans to see the memorial dedicated to them on the National Mall. It was erected in 2004. The honor flights began, almost by accident, a year later. Smolen checked the movie’s web site to see where it was playing. “It was in Naples, and I said, ‘I’m not going to go that far to see a movie,’” she said. But, Smolen also saw that folks have a chance to get the movie in their areas — if they can find theaters willing to play it, and sell
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Mitch Kloorfain/chief photographer Centennial High School JROTC member Steven Bobb stands at attention following the pledge of allegiance prior to the start of Honor Flight – The Movie at Carmike Theater in St. Lucie West Wednesday, Jan. 9. The special two day showing about veterans of World War II being flown to visit the memorials created in their honor in Washington DC was presented to sold-out audiences of veterans and their families.
A ‘blueprint’ for returning vets Program designed to help transition from active duty to civilian life By Patrick McCallister For Veteran Voice There’s a blueprint to help returning service members acclimate to their new civilian lives. Martin “Marty” Zickert, president of the Veterans Council of Indi-
an River County, said the Points of Light Institute’s Community Blueprint will get started locally in 2013. “It’s going to be a big deal,” he said. “We hope to spread it throughout the Treasure Coast and get the Space Coast guys on board.” The institute’s website explains, “The Community Blueprint is a set of tools and practices that provide a framework for com-
munities to produce positive, measurable outcomes for veterans, military members and their families.” Mike Monroe is a Marine Corps veteran, and vice president of Military Initiatives at the institute. He said the Community Blueprint was born in the Sunshine State and officially launched on Nov. 9. “About three years ago there was an off-site retreat (at the White Oak Plantation near Yulee) he
said. “Fifty-five groups got together to discuss community needs and action plans. One of the findings out there is anything to help communities help veterans would help the communities.” He said 12 of the participating organizations at the retreat decided to explore the issues recently discharged military members faced and form plans commu-
See BLUEPRINT page 3