6/4 HEROES @ HOME & 5/30 Memorial Day Procession

Good afternoon, STATEWIDE VETERAN NETWORK ~

The 3^rd Annual Heroes @ Home BBQ & Music Festival is June 4th, NOON – 4PM

Please share the attached flyer with Veterans, service members, their families and EVERYONE who supports them!

·        BBQ layout attached – NOTE: PARKING AREA CHANGE (Guardsman Lane may be closed).
·        A Missoula Food Bank volunteer has graciously volunteered to shuttle people from the Missoula Food Bank, Poverello Center, and Valor House to and from the BBQ.
·        National Anthem by Army Veteran, Jeff “JD” Daniel.
·        Music by The Levitators! (Bob Zimorino’s band).
·        The “Kay Collins Legacy Tent” will be near the Iris Garden, and Montana Supporting Soldiers is returning so you can write a thank you card to deployed troops.  
·        The 50th Anniversary of the “Vietnam War Commemorative Tent” will be near the Rocky Mountain Museum of Military History, the mobile Vet Center, Big Sky Thunderbirds, and the Cabela’s BB gun range.
·        Native Grill & Wings are donating salads to go with the FREE BBQ. Lil Orbits Donuts, Roxiberry Gourmet Frozen Yogurt, and Lemondairy are confirmed vendors.
·        IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE A SILENT AUCTION ITEM OR RAFFLE ITEM / GIFT BASKET, PLEASE LET US KNOW:

o   Anton is the INTERIM JCF CHAIR & EVENTS CMTE LEAD (721-4918, anton.johnson@va.gov) until Brian’s return in August.

o   JCF Co-Chair (Vendors & Volunteers): Roy, 493-2530, roysavage1970@gmail.com ~ Thank you to our volunteers from Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Missoula Aging Services Senior Corps (RSVP), and MT Youth ChalleNGe Academy!

o   Treasurer (Sponsors & Donations): John, 543-7391, amlegmt29@mtlegion.org or johnsangwin@hotmail.com (THANKS AGAIN TO AARP, MISSOULA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, SELWAY ARMORY, and SHERWIN-WILLIAMS for the donations).

·        Confirmed service providers (Please be there by 10AM to set up – earlier if you’re able to help. Questions? Shannon, snoble@mt.gov):

o   AARP; ALEPH (Winds of Change / Jennings Management); Animal Human Connection; Bitterroot & Missoula Job Service; Black Dog Tactical; Cabela’s; Camp Patriot; Consumer Direct; Costco; doTERRA Essential Oils; Edgewood Vista Memory Care; Fish On! MT; Gunter Consulting Services; Heavy Equipment College of America; Job Corps (Management & Training Corp; The Learning Center at Red Willow (Heroes Therapeutic Outreach Program-HTOP); Lowe’s; Military Order of the Purple Heart (w/Montana Wounded Warriors); Missoula Aging Services; Missoula College Workforce Navigator (RevUp Montana and Healthcare Transformation Specialist); Missoula Housing Authority; Missoula Veterans Court; MTNG Family Assistance Center (FAC); Montana Supporting Soldiers; Montana Youth ChalleNGe Academy; PEAK Health & Wellness; Poverello (Housing Montana Heroes) / Valor House; Rocky Mountain Hospice; Rocky Mountain School of Photography; Selway Armory; South West Montana Team Red White & Blue; Team Rubicon; THRIVENT Financial; UM VETS Office; United States of Hope (USOH); VA HUD/VASH; Vet2Vet; VFW Auxiliary; Volunteers of America; XSports4Vets. (Awaiting confirmation from Troops to Teachers)

~ Thank you ALL for your participation and support! ~

Follow the JCF Heroes @ Home event page for updates: https://www.facebook.com/events/1702903223254884/

Please remember to take a moment to remember and honor our fallen brothers and sisters this Memorial Day. If you’re going to be in Missoula this weekend, please feel free to join the Memorial Day Procession below.

Thank you, Shannon Noble, MJS DVOP and Outreach Specialist for Joining Community Forces – Missoula Region (Follow us on Facebook ~ We post events, services, and resources available for Veterans, service members and their families in the Missoula Region). 

89th Annual Memorial Day Procession

Monday, May 30, 2016

Sponsored by United Veteran’s Council of Missoula and Ravalli Counties

QUESTIONS? bluemountain@montana.com or (719) 661-4037.

Due to the age of honor and color guards and the number of veteran monuments they visit on Memorial Day Monday, this year the United Veterans Council will NOT have formal ceremonies and keynote speakers as years past. The charter bus is provided by Beach Transportation for the honor and color guards and ceremony participants, but the general public can follow the charter bus from veteran monument to veteran monument. 

NOTE THAT THERE ARE NO SPECIFIC TIMES EXCEPT AT THE START OF THE PROCESSION. THE PROCESSION STARTS AT VFW HEADQUARTERS AT 245 W. MAIN STREET IN MISSOULA at 9:15 a.m.  HONOR AND COLOR GUARDS BOARD THE CHARTER BUS. General public follows charter bus in own vehicles.

At each stop, honor and color guards and other procession participants will walk up to each veteran monument or overlook. Wreaths and flowers will be placed at each location.  The Star Spangled Banner will be sung and the Pledge of Allegiance will be said. A prayer will be spoken by the procession chaplain at the base of each monument or overlook. The VFW Post 209 Honor Guard will perform the 3-volley shooting of rifles (commonly known as a 21-gun salute), and the procession will walk slowly back to the charter bus in formation.

Caras Park Memorial 

(Toss of wreath into Clark Fork River)

Missoula County Courthouse Ceremony

(Placement of flowers and wreaths at base of Doughboy Statue)

Fort Missoula Military Cemetery

(Placement of wreath at grave of Veteran Ole Beck)

Western Montana State Veteran’s Cemetery

(Placement of wreaths and flowers at base of flag poles and rock monument)

Sunset Memorial – lunch and break

(Retirement of flag and placement of wreath and flowers at base of Veteran monument)

Missoula City Cemetery – veteran memorial

(Placement of wreath and flowers at base of Veteran monument)

St. Mary’s Annex Cemetery

(Placement of wreath and flowers at base of St. Mary monument)

St. Mary’s Cemetery – veteran memorial

(Placement of wreath and flowers at base of Veteran monument)

Rose Memorial Garden Park

(Placement of wreaths at each monument in park)

University of Montana Iraq-Afghanistan “Fallen Soldier Memorial”

(Placement of wreaths and flowers at base of Veteran monument)

Special thanks to Beach Transportation for providing the charter bus, fuel and bus driver and to Benson’s Farm for providing the baskets of red, white and blue flowers. All wreaths were made by members of the United Veterans Council of Missoula and Ravalli Counties.

University of Montana Iraq-Afghanistan “Fallen Soldier Memorial” CONTINUED…