Friday, March 29, 2024
Home » News » Community » Military Appreciation Events Planned Around Centre County

Military Appreciation Events Planned Around Centre County

Centre County’s Board of Commissioners on Tuesday proclaimed November as Military Appreciation Month in the county ahead of a series of community events to honor service members, veterans and their families.

In State College and on Penn State’s campus, the university and borough are partnering for Military Appreciation Week events from Nov. 3 to Nov. 11. The 12th annual event will also honor military families, Eugene McFeely, senior director for Veterans Affairs and Services at Penn State told the commissioners.

“While our military families don’t wear the uniform, they certainly serve alongside our service members and make a lot of sacrifices along the way,” McFeely said.

The week kicks off on Friday, Nov. 3, with the unveiling of lamp-post banners featuring service members and veterans in downtown State College. A partnership between the Downtown State College Improvement District and Penn State’s Military Appreciation Committee, the banners were made available for purchase earlier this year, with proceeds going to the to the university’s Military Student Fund.

Banners will be on display this month and again next November, after which they will be given to the families to keep.

The banner unveiling will start at 6:30 p.m. in front of The State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave., and will be followed by a reception at 7 p.m. and a screening of “Top Gun: Maverick” at 8 p.m. Proceeds from ticket sales also will go to the Military Student Fund.

Events throughout the week will culminate with a Veterans Day ceremony at 11:11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 10 in front of Old Main. (In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held in the HUB-Robeson Center).

“In my mind, this is the best of Penn State. This is about the best that we can do,” said Zack Moore, Penn State vice president for government and community relations. “I’m so proud to be associated with this event. I’m so proud to work with Eugene on this. He has done an amazing job of kind of ramping this up to the level that it is. We’re building [military appreciation] into the culture of Penn State over the last decade or so and it’s a really important part of who we are and what we do.”

In Bellefonte, the Centre County Courthouse will be lighted in green Nov. 5-12 and a Veterans Day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11, in Talleyrand Park, Brian Querry, county director of veterans affairs, said.

Querry also took the opportunity to remind veterans that they can still apply for PACT Act benefits. The PACT Act was signed into law in 2022 and expands VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances. Veterans who believe they may qualify can contact the county Veterans Affairs Office at (814) 355-6812.

“With Veterans Day coming up, it’s such an important time for everyone in our community to reflect on the sacrifices that have been made by our veterans, and for those who have these ongoing health impacts from their service it’s an ongoing sacrifice,” Commissioner Amber Concepcion said.

Commissioner Steve Dershem credited Penn State for its outreach work with active duty military and veterans, as well as the county Veterans Affairs Office and the VA Clinic in College Township

About 8,000 veterans and “a couple thousand surviving spouses,” reside in Centre County, according to Querry.

They are part of “a long, rich history of military service” in Centre County, Dershem said.

Indeed, military service in the county dates back almost to its founding in 1800, with residents volunteering to serve in the War of 1812, Board of Commissioners Chair Mark Higgins noted. The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial in front of the courthouse honors many of them.

Higgins also acknowledged Penn State World Campus’ recognitions as a best college program for veterans, and expressed gratitude to military families.

“There’s a lot of sacrifice from the families involved with one of their members serving all over the world, often in very dangerous situations,” Higgins said.

Military Appreciation Events in Centre County

• Nov. 3 — Veteran Banner Unveiling, 6:30 p.m., The State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave., State College

• Nov. 3 — “Top Gun: Maverick” screening benefiting Military Student Fund, 8 p.m. Reception starts at 7 p.m. at The State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave., State College

• Nov. 5 — Freedom 5K race, 10 a.m., Pattee Mall, University Park. Donations benefit Operation Red Wings Foundation. [Registration]

• Nov. 5-12 — Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte will be lighted in green in honor of Military Appreciation Week.

• Nov. 7 — Ask a Veteran Panel, 5:30 p.m., HUB-Robeson Center Flex Theater, University Park. The Penn State Veterans Organization will moderate a discussion featuring veterans and military-related students. The event will also be live streamed.

• Nov. 8 — Dedication of the Honor Our Veterans Mural at the Philipsburg American Legion Post 437, 315 E. Presqueisle St., 11 a.m.

• Nov. 9 — Military Appreciation Breakfast for Penn State employees and students who serve or have served, 9 a.m., HUB-Robeson Center Heritage Hall. [Registration]

• Nov. 10 — Veterans Day Ceremony, 11:11 a.m., Old Main steps, University Park (if rain, HUB-Robeson Alumni Hall). The ceremony will also be live streamed.

• Nov. 11 — Pennsylvania Military Museum, 51 Boal Avenue, Boalsburg, will be open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free for veterans and their family members.

• Nov. 11 — Veterans Day Ceremony, 11 a.m., Talleyrand Park Gazebo, Bellefonte.