American Indian Movement sponsors free Vet's Thanksgiving Day Dinner
Today the Florida chapter of the AIM (American Indian Movement) sponsored a free Thanksgiving Day Dinner for Vet's at the Marion County Veterans Park in Ocala Florida.
AIM has sponsored this dinner for a number of years for all vet's in the area. Today when I left around 75 vets had a great Turkey dinner in thanks for their service.
The park is quite beautiful with numerous dedicated sites honoring both military units and individual service personal.
Frank Silverhawk, Easter Band of Cherokee. Chief of the local AIM chapter, two female vets and yours truly Animikii Zaagijiwan, Ojibwe (Thunder That Flows From the River)
Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park
The idea for a veterans memorial park began in the hearts and minds of a group of veterans in the late 1980s. With the support of the community and a partnership between the Marion County Board of County Commissioners and the City of Ocala, these veterans realized their dream when the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park opened in 1997.
Nestled in a quiet oasis located in the center of Ocala is a lasting memorial to veterans of all wars who lived, fought and died for the beliefs of individual freedom. With more than 5,000 bricks, 200 benches and 100 plaques, visitors can appreciate the history of our veterans from the birth of our nation forward. The park office is staffed completely by volunteers, many of whom are veterans and have first-hand recollections of the wars that were fought.
Rededicated in 2005, the park continues to be a treasure to our community, providing many opportunities to inform and educate citizens about the armed forces ad the men and women who served. It features the Medal of Honor monument, the presidential monument (honoring all presidents who served in our military), war memorabilia and picnic areas.
The park serves as a history lesson etched in brick and granite; walk along the inside of the southwest section of the wall for a sequential history of all wars, conflicts and battles beginning with the Indian Wars in 1628 and continuing to the present. The east wall presents the history of the American Civil War with plaques and battle commemorations for both the Union and Confederate armies.
On the outside of the wall are plaques of veterans organizations and other groups to recognize their support of the park. Pedestals, bricks, plaques and benches - all donated by veteran/community organizations, individuals and families - offer residents an opportunity to commemorate and honor the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country.
For information about donating bricks, plaques and benches, or if you are interested in volunteering your services to this unique park, please call Veterans Services at 352-671-8422 .
the history of our veterans from the birth of our nation forward. The park office is staffed completely by volunteers, many of whom are veterans and have first-hand recollections of the wars that were fought.
Rededicated in 2005, the park continues to be a treasure to our community, providing many opportunities to inform and educate citizens about the armed forces ad the men and women who served. It features the Medal of Honor monument, the presidential monument (honoring all presidents who served in our military), war memorabilia and picnic areas.
The park serves as a history lesson etched in brick and granite; walk along the inside of the southwest section of the wall for a sequential history of all wars, conflicts and battles beginning with the Indian Wars in 1628 and continuing to the present. The east wall presents the history of the American Civil War with plaques and battle commemorations for both the Union and Confederate armies.
On the outside of the wall are plaques of veterans organizations and other groups to recognize their support of the park. Pedestals, bricks, plaques and benches - all donated by veteran/community organizations, individuals and families - offer residents an opportunity to commemorate and honor the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country.
For information about donating bricks, plaques and benches, or if you are interested in volunteering your services to this unique park, please call Veterans Services at 352-671-8422 .
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American Indians and Alaska Natives serve in the military at the highest rate of any ethnic group.
To ALL vet's and their families may you have a very happy Thanksgiving. And for those that are serving far from home, you are in our thoughts.
Semper Fi
Airborne all the way.
Kav, just got one thing to say about the picture of all four of ya,
LOL, thanks Galen. I should have worn my full regalia and then I'd really be ''lookin' good''...
I'm glad to see some of us will be getting a good Thanksgiving this year, it don't happen often enough to suit me. Thanx for sharing it.
What do you wear under all those feathers?
If I told you then it wouldn't be a secret....
Nice!
Well done Army!
Thanks Sparty.
Thank you for such a great story Animikii Zaagijiwan.
Special thanks for the introduction of Chief Frank Silverhawk. Someone I can reach out to, for seeking how to help in my own way.
You'll find him and the AIM chapter on facebook, dave.
A truly wonderful tradition, and one that our Vets well deserve. Thank you for much for sharing the great outdoor celebration, and so good to see you there are well. I am very familiar with Chief Silverhawk. He has been a tireless worker for many Native American related activities.
The Veterans Community here in our complex are very active as well, and sponsor several Veteran events here in the complex, including the annual Veterans Day parade, and the 4th of July celebration. There are a lot of Veterans here in our complex, and they are active in helping out those in the complex who need a helping hand now and then. There are also many family members of former Veterans who are members of the Veterans Community, including myself, representing my Grandfather and Father from WWII, and my Brother from the Vietnam War, all of whom were Disabled Veterans.
It is great to see the AIM honoring our Vets in such a wonderful way.
Good to hear that you have a Vet's community in your complex and the good work that the do, RW.
My complex has one as well with 170 members and we fully support AIM and there outreach to our vets.
There are close to 500 units in our complex, and I think there are about 260 members in out Vet community. There are a good many of the Vets in our Community that participate in other events outside of our complex as well. Some of the women in our Vet Community make lap quilts and blankets for the local Veteran hospitals. My Mother used to make lap blankets when she and my Father were traveling around the country. Then she would donate them to the local Veterans groups for their Veterans that needed them.
It's our way to do what we can to help. We are all one......we are all Brothers and Sisters.
Bravo.
Having seen this article, I now regret not having explored more of Florida during the many times I winter-vacationed there, and when I shared ownership with my brother of a golf condo at Hollybrook, west of Hollywood, Fla., that we inherited from my parents. I was never in Ocala.
Good for you, Kavika, for the good things that you and the rest of the N.A. community do for the benefit of others.
Thanks Buzz.
We do what we can.
Yesterday the Lytton Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians donated $1 million dollars to the victims of the fires in Northern California.
Thanks for sharing, Kavika. Nice way to show Vets that they are still thought about and appreciated.
Since a high percentage of natives are vets it's the least that we can do for all vets and their families, PJ.
That is such a good way to to say thank you!! It's the least that can be to show appreciation to our Veterans.
THANK YOU VETERANS , ONE AND ALL !!!
Exactly and thank you Nona.
Thank you.
Ira Hayes....
On February 2, 1955, Hayes was buried in Section 34, Grave 479A at Arlington National Cemetery. At the funeral, fellow flag-raiser Rene Gagnon said of him: "Let's say he had a little dream in his heart that someday the Indian would be like the white man — be able to walk all over the United States."
I believe he now does exactly that....
And thank you Ira, you gave your all......
Indeed he did.
And to those that rose to the occasion in Vietnam.
M/Sgt Roy Benavidez, Medal of Honor, Purple Heart (4 clusters)
1st Lt. Billy Walkabout, DSC, Bronze Star, Purple Heart.
Great story Kavika! What a wonderful way to honor our Veterans. Thank you for sharing and most of all Thank You to all our Vets!
btw...love the pics but where's Red?
She was the one taking the photo...LOL
When I was dealing regularly with the V.A. Hospital in Reno, Nevada, the Coordinator I worked with regularly once said to me …
"The Vets get the short end of the stick … and the stick gets shorter all the time."
Otherwise, the V.A. Hospital in Reno is FIRST RATE!
I'm been dealing with the VA since the late 60's. It's always a battle and that stick is really short right now.
What a wonderful story about a very moving monument to all those Indians that served. I think that it's great that you are helping out all the vets who need to be helped and to gather them together as family.
Moving to FLA has been a good thing for you! You are no longer the lone Indian, LOL!
That is true, I was beginning to feel like ''the last Indian standing'' in MO.
I was the President of the American Indian Association of Florida, located in Orlando, from '93 - '96 and worked with the AIM chapter in Tampa. Their lead was a fella named Sheldon from SD. Damn fine folks. Helped them with a few repatriation sessions and, of course, protesting against DeSoto. We had a "homeless" Thanksgiving in '95 at the Orlando Fairgrounds and AIM was in attendance. Only had 'bout 100 folks show up, but man it was well worth it.
Well what the hell are you doing living in NM....Back to Florida for you and we can Pow Wow.
If Audra has her way - and you know she will - we'll be back down there within the next year or so. Get your Harley/Indian ready partner.
I'm sure that she will.....My bikes now have to have training wheels...LOL
Sorta like this one?......
LOL, perfect RW.
A couple of friends of mine just retired to the Villages, FL. I'm going to tell them about the park.
Great story and event Kavika.
The Villages are about 18 miles south of us. I'm sure that they will enjoy the park, it's quite unique.
Thanks Dulay.
Beautiful Mac, and thank you and a Happy and Peaceful Thankgiving to you and yours.