During the June 21st Special Presentations, Councilman Stephen Shelley explained how it really does take a village to organize Homestead’s annual Military Appreciation Day, which, this year, took place on April 29th at Losner Park. He honored the committee that planned the impressive community event that celebrated military personnel and their families and brought them together with civilians and the larger community.
In its sixth year, Councilman Shelley noted, “Each year, Military Appreciation Day gets bigger and better and it takes a lot of work to make it as good of an event as it is.” He added that, each year, planning the event begins in January and represents a significant time commitment for all those involved.
“One of the things I love about the Military Appreciation Day event is it’s a collaboration of [many] different organizations within the City of Homestead, all for one purpose: How do we show our appreciation for military men and women for all the sacrifices that they make for us?” Councilman Shelley said, adding, “How do we show that we’re appreciative of them and also provide them a good time, while at the same time educating the general population of the community about what the military does?”
He emphasized that Homestead Air Reserve Base and all the military branches that have operations there are “[a] beautiful resource and economic engine that we have here [in Homestead].”
Along with the City of Homestead, the Homestead Reserve Air Base, the Military Affairs Committee and the South Dade Chamber of Commerce, Councilman Shelley noted the broad scope of community representatives who pulled the event together, explaining, “You have members from all sorts of organizations — the news media, Homestead Main Street, the YMCA, members of the military, local business leaders and business owners, and city staff.” He added, “Thank you for all your hard work and let’s do it again next year!”
He called members of the committee to the front of the Council Chambers and presented each with a special certificate, honoring their contributions to the committee. Members included:
1SG Wiley MacCormack (First Sergeant, SOC South)
Alex Carrandi (City of Homestead, Recreation Programmer)
Carlos Batista (Military Affairs Committee Board Member)
Sylvia Bernstein (Best Studio Inn)
Christopher Huss (City of Homestead, Volunteer)
Dale Machesic (Rotary Club of Homestead)
James Nall (Homestead YMCA)
Karen Franklin (City of Homestead, Assistant to the City Manager)
Kerry Black (Military Affairs Committee Board Member)
LT TraciAnn Fiammetta (Coast Guard MSST, Executive Officer)
Mickey McGuire (Seminole Theatre, Executive Director)
Monroe Marauders (Tim Slawson and John Felso)
Pedro Reynaldos (City of Homestead, Parks & Recreation, Operations Manager)
Ron Mongole (City of Homestead, Volunteer)
SFC Pedro Horta (Operations Sergeant, SOC South)
Yvonne Knowles (Homestead Main Street)
Zackery Good (City of Homestead, Public Information Officer)