Three Ways Tampa Thanks Veterans
The Greater Tampa Bay area offers vast support for our veterans, retired military, active duty, and their families on a year-round basis. It’s not surprising that Veterans Day would be a major celebration in our beloved communities.
Our area has active military bases and heroic veterans living throughout our neighborhoods. MacDill Air Force Base in south Tampa hosts U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, and dozens of other units. Proudly for our area, all branches of service are represented, making this Gulf coast region home to Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and members of the Coast Guard.
The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held each year at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 at Arlington National Cemetery to honor all persons who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Here are three local ways to celebrate the day:
- CEREMONIES: There will be numerous events held throughout our area. The Bay Pines VA Veterans Day Ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 at C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center and National Cemetery at Bay Pines, 10000 Bay Pines Blvd., St. Petersburg. In addition to guest speaker U.S. Navy Adm. (Ret.) John Kirby, this year’s event will feature the Keswick Christian School Choir, a firing salute, and the posting and retiring of the U.S. flag.
- ACTIVITIES: As a military-friendly area, there will be an array of touching ways to commemorate the day. Wonderfully, there will be a Veteran’s Day Fall Fly: Kite Festival at 10 a.m. on Nov. 11 at the Thunderbird Resort, 10700 Gulf Blvd., Treasure Island. The festival will include demonstrations, games, and general kite flying to honor our heroes.
- DISCOUNTS: In addition to parades and special events, many of our local restaurants, hotels, theme parks, museums, and professional service providers will be offering special deals and freebies to honor those serving this great nation. We recommend checking Tampa Bay.com and other local news websites for lists of military discounts.
Also, be sure to browse local listings for ways to help military and veterans throughout the year. For example, our real estate team is proud to participate in Operation Helping Hand’s monthly dinner at James A. Haley Veterans Hospital on the third Thursday of each month. Operation Helping Hand is a nonprofit providing support for the families of wounded and injured active-duty military. Learn more at www.operationhelpinghandtampa.com.
In addition to helping all Floridians buy, downsize, and sell homes, we are proud to specialize in serving active military and veterans with compassion and integrity during the home buying and selling process. For active and retired military members from other states, you may find Florida to be a unique place to buy or sell a home. We are here to support you through the entire real estate transaction, including connecting you with an expert in VA Loans if you are a veteran.
As local real estate consultants, we love to see our customers enjoying the special activities across our areas. Contact Dick and Karla Nielsen at 813-294-5786 for more information about neighborhoods, home buying, investing, and home selling throughout Tampa and across Florida.
