Bay Pines Healthcare System, in cooperation with the Veterans Liaison Council of Pinellas County, invites you to its Veteran's Day Parade and Ceremony Saturday, November 11. This year's theme is "Honoring All Who Served." Parade participants must form at the staging area no later than 10 a.m. The parade starts at 10:30 a.m. on the hospital campus of Bay Pines Healthcare Systems (Pine Pines VA Hospital) 10000 Bay Pines Blvd., Bay Pines.
All Veterans Organizations, High School JROTC, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and all other color guards are welcome to participate in the parade and the massing of the colors.
The ceremony will commence at 11 a.m. Special guests include Congressman W. "Bill" Young and Beverly Young, Wallace Hopkins, FACHE, Medical Center Director, County Commissioners, local mayors and council members.
The keynote speaker is Ronald E. Ray, Medal of Honor recipient who served in the Vietnam War. Ray also served as the first Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs and has held various positions in the Government after his military career.
The Honorable R. James Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, announced a "Veterans Pride Initiative" to remind Americans of the pride and honor in the hearts of those who have served. He has asked that all Veterans wear the medals they have earned in their military service this Veterans Day, to help kindle a new spark of patriotism.