Penn State and the State College community will honor service members, veterans and their families with Military Appreciation Week Nov. 4-12.
A series of events are planned on campus and in the borough, and State College Mayor Elizabeth Goreham officially proclaimed the week as Military Appreciation Week during the State College Borough Council’s Oct. 10 meeting.
‘The Pennsylvania State University together with the State College Borough Community are committed to translating our gratitude into sustainable social and civic support,’ the proclamation stated. ‘We dedicate this commemoration week for Military Appreciation as a symbol of unity to recognize, honor and support the commitment and sacrifice of current, former and fallen members of all the branches of U.S. Armed Forces.’
‘This level of support is essential and sustains us and our families through our service both in good times and in times of need, while we’re at home and while we’re deployed’ Eugene McFeely, Colonel United States Air Force SAF/Commander AFROTC Detachment 720 and Penn State Aerospace Studies professor. McFeely also was joined by Penn State trustee and retired Navy SEAL Capt. Ryan McCombie and Leslie Laing, Penn State’s Assistant Director of Adul tLearner Programs and Services to receive the proclamation
Penn State’s Office of Government and Community Relations worked with Goreham and the Downtown Improvement District to coordinate the week of events.
The commemoration begins on Friday with November’s First Friday events in downtown State College from 5-9 p.m. Among military-themed First Friday events are:
– More than 50 businesses will donate a portion of their day’s sales to the Penn State Military Student Scholarship Fund and will be collecting donations for Operation Shoebox.
– Artist Johnathan Preston is creating a large sculpture shaped like a waving flag with pieces of paper painted red, white and blue by area pre-school students and affixed to give the sculpture color and add shape. It will be on display in front of the Corner Room.
– Nittany Quill will have a letter writing activity to send to military personnel, with special inks, paper and sealing wax.
– Dancers from the Performing Arts School of Central Pennsylvania will perform throughout downtown to the songs ‘Stars and Stripes’ and ‘Yankee Doodle Dandy.’
– Penn State brass and trombone quartets will perform patriotic music throughout the evening.
For more First Friday events, visit www.firstfridaystatecollege.com.
The Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg will host a pre-tailgate program from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, prior to the Penn State-Iowa game at Beaver Stadium. It will include presentations on several military topics; guided tours; presentation of Vietnam Service pins to Vietnam veterans in attendance; and displays provided by the 4th I.D. (reenacted, weather permitting) .
Military Appreciation Day also will be celebrated at the Penn State football game, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Fans purchased tickets for military members and their families through the ‘Seats for Service members’ program, and ROTC elite, active duty, Wounded Warriors, and veterans will be honored during the game.
Events on campus throughout the week include guest speaker Jay Platt, a Marine veteran whose career came to a halt when he was diagnosed with a rare cancer syndrome. He went on to became an adventure athlete who has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities. He will speak from 6-8 p.m. on Nov. 9 in Freeman Auditorium at the HUB-Robeson Center. The new documentary film about his life, ‘Living Unstoppable: The Jay Platt Story,’ will be shown on Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. in 106 Business Building.
Other military-themed movies will be shown throughout the week. For schedules, visit military.psu.edu/events/.
ROTC personnel, Penn State Student Veterans and local veterans will rally and march from Wagner Building to Old Main beginning at 10:15 a.m. on Nov. 11, and that will be followed by a Veterans Day ceremony from 11 a.m.-noon. Retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral and Judge Advocate General James Houck and U.S. Navy Chief Kevin Santrock will deliver remarks, and the VFW will perform a 21-gun salute before attendees move to the Veterans Plaza where a bugler will play Taps.
The Freedom 5K for PTSD will be held at 11 a.m. on Nov. 12, starting at the Bryce Jordan Center. Hosted by Penn State’s Aerospace Studies Student Organization, the event is an effort to raise money and awareness for those affected by PTSD and will benefit The Lone Survivor Foundation. Click here to sign up or donate.
The Penn State men’s and women’s basketball games on Nov. 13 also will be Military Appreciation events. The Lady Lions tip off at 1 p.m. against St. Peter’s and the men face Duquesne at 6 p.m.
For a full listing of Military Appreciation Week events, go to military.psu.edu
