In honor of Veterans Day, 10,678 American flags waved in Orlando’s Loch Haven Park, one for each Central Florida resident formerly or currently serving in the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan. Home to one of the highest military veteran populations in the country, Central Florida hosts a series of events annually to honor its vets and mark Veterans Day, a United States holiday, which is November 11, each year.
Earlier this week, the Camaraderie Foundation, a nonprofit that provides private counseling to service members and their families, teamed up with Fifth Third Bank to blanket the park with flags in order to raise awareness of the large military and veteran population in Orange, Osceola, Lake, Seminole and Volusia counties.
The Camaraderie Foundation matches families with local counselors at a highly discounted rate across the country. By covering 75 percent of the cost of counseling, the organization ensures that military families receive the help they need to adjust to life during and after deployments.
Fifth Third Bank currently partners with the Camaraderie Foundation in a matching fundraiser. Through the end of November, donations to the Foundation can be made at any of Fifth Third’s Central Florida banking centers. The bank will match them, up to $15,000 cumulatively. For branch locations, please visit www.53.com.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and his Veterans Advisory Council will host the annual Orlando Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, November 12, 2011, at 11 a.m. in Downtown Orlando. The parade will consist of a variety of participants including: men and women from more than 150 Central Florida veteran organizations, active duty military, high school marching bands and JROTCs, City of Orlando firefighters and police officers and floats that were featured in the Gasparilla parade in Tampa.  This year’s grand marshal is Orlando resident Michael Waldrop.
The Veterans Day National Ceremony was held earlier today at Arlington National Cemetery where President Obama layed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns with the aid of an honor guard, following which he made brief remarks.
