Phillie Phanatic comes to Gorgas Park between 11 am & noon on Saturday, July 25 to Thank Veterans!

Tomorrow – Saturday, July 25, 2015 – join us for the 7th annual Hospitalized Veterans Tribute at Gorgas Park as Roxborough, Manayunk, Wissahickon, Andorra, and East Falls salute, honor, and thank hospitalized Veterans from the Coatesville VA Medical Center for their service and sacrifice to our country. This community event is sponsored by the 21st Ward Veterans Association, the Merion Concert Band, Prism Engineering, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and Penn Medicine. Additional sponsors of this event include: the Friends of Gorgas Park, the Zamorski Family, and Warriors Watch Motorcycle Escorts.

Come as an individual or come in a group to salute the Veterans, our guests of honor! Everyone is invited to welcome the Veterans, arriving via motor coach and escorted all the way from Coatesville to Gorgas Park by Warriors Watch and Philadelphia Police motorcycle escorts. Upon arrival Veterans will travel the walk of honor when everyone will wave American Flags and cheer for the Veterans!

The festivities will begin as the Merion Concert Band plays and members of The Savoy Company sing and lead the public in the Star-Spangled Banner, our National Anthem. The Veterans will be entertained by the Merion Concert Band, under the baton of Nathan P. Snyder, Conductor, presenting a concert of patriotic and Broadway show tunes.

Old Academy Players will present a one-act comedy entitled, Senior Coffee, written by Stanley Toledo and directed by Susan Zingale-Baird. Featuring Cary Gottlieb, George Webster, Briana Green, and Michelle Moscicki, Senior Coffee is about a young waitress who has a fight on her hands when she tries to serve free coffee to a senior citizen.

The Savoy Company will present a concert version of Gilbert & Sullivan’s musical comedy Patience or Bunthorne’s Bride, under the baton of Peter A. Hilliard, Music Director. A hit in England, Patience satirizes the 1870s & ‘80s “aesthetic movement” based on the principle of art for art’s sake when 2 poets – a fleshly poet and an idyllic poet – love and woo the same innocent milkmaid who cares not for poetry. Additional entertainment scheduled will include the Oppenheimer Play and members of the Roxborough Male Chorus.

Members of the Roxborough Ridge Runners Car Club will display antique and classic cars throughout the day.

Therapy dogs will be on-hand with their handlers to interact with the Veterans.

The DAR, Kiwanis International, and the Philadelphia Bible Society will host information tables. Churches, civic groups, non-profits, and businesses are welcome to set up information tables highlighting their activities, programs, and services.

The Phillie Phanatic will join the festivities between the hours of 11 am & noon to do all things expected of the Phillie Phanatic!

Come when you can, leave when you must. The event runs from 10 am to 3 pm with setup beginning at 7:30 am. Bring family and friends and lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy the FREE entertainment. Bring a picnic lunch or purchase lunch including: tomato pie, soft pretzels, hamburgers, hotdogs, pizza, bottled water, soft drinks, and snacks.

To date, additional participants include: the 21st Ward Fourth of July Association, the Church of St. Alban Episcopal, Leverington Presbyterian Church, Local Boy Scout Troops and Local Girl Scout Troops, Marchiano’s Bakery, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church Andorra, and Stanley’s Hardware. The list of participants is still growing!

The 21st Ward Veterans Association includes: Adam Kowalski-Polish Legion Post 1, Cahill-Cholerton American Legion Post 680, Gladwyne VFW Post 6956, Dutch Helwig-Marine Corps League, Hattal-Taylor VFW Post 333, Henry Houston-American Legion Post 3, Northwest Veterans Association, Operation Bedding / Project Outreach, and the Wissahickon Memorial Association.

Additional supporters include: Bimbo Bakeries USA, Honest John – Socks for all Seasons, Hopkins Pharmacy, Pepsi Corporation, Rita’s Water Ice, UTZ Quality Foods, TastyKake, and Tasty Twisters.

Do you want to help sponsor this event? Can we count on you or your organization to participate or for support? If so, contact Bruce F. Hoffman, President, 21st Ward Veterans Association (267-304-5787). Thank a Veteran today as well as Saturday, July 25, 2015.