Veterans’ Awareness Day April 16
Published 10:22 pm Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The Four Flags Area Council on Tourism will hold a Veterans’ Awareness Day Saturday, April 16 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Veterans of all wars are invited. Special interest groups that will be in attendance include VFW Post 4952, America Legion Post 51 and Forgotten Heroes.
A bamboo POW/MIA simulated cage is on display at the Four Flags Area Council on Tourism. It is a part of a collection of memorabilia on display at the council on tourism office in preparation for its Veterans' Awareness Day event April 16.
Spirit of America Flag designer Dale Hemphill will be on hand to sell flags and other items. Members of Lest We Forget USA will be in attendance to sell books and other items and will be available to speak about their past events.
From now until April 16, war memorabilia will be on display at the council on tourism office for public viewing. Some of the items include a statue of “Kelly the War Dog,” a statue of the Berrien County KIA from the Vietnam War and various photo collages of Lest We Forget events. Also on display are other photo collages and a World War I uniform.
There are many photos and newspaper articles about Frank Buckles, who was the last living American World War I veteran. He turned 110 years old on Feb. 1 and passed away Feb. 27.
Also on display are items from a local Niles veteran, Dale Hurt, including his collection of GI Joes, flags, helmets and other uniform items. Hurt has also provided a life-size bamboo POW/MIA simulated cage. The cage was built in remembrance of those who didn’t return from Vietnam.
During the event, the council on tourism is collecting items for the local Niles Veterans’ Home, which house 18 veterans from all wars and is currently filled to capacity. The Veterans’ Home provides transportation to VA hospital appointments in Benton Harbor and Battle Creek.
The Veterans’ Home is in desperate need of gasoline cards for transportation services. Other items being collected are: men’s toiletries, canned food, laundry detergent, fabric softener, clothing and other non-perishable food items. Monetary donations will also be accepted.
The Four Flags Area Council on Tourism is located at 404 East Main St. in the historic Four Flags Hotel building in Niles. It is open Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information, call (269) 684-7444.
