North Valley celebrates Veterans Day with host of events

Staff Report~ 11/9/2011

SkyRanch at Carefree invites the public to commemorate Veterans Day and celebrate 50 years of aviation history with a static aircraft display featuring civilian and military aircraft, a vintage car and motorcycle exhibition and a full day of events for all ages, from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Saturday.
The airport is located at 8302 E. Cave Creek Road in Carefree. Admission to the celebration is free. A barbeque lunch will be available for $8.
SkyRanch at Carefree pre-dates the incorporation of the Town of Carefree by nearly 25 years. It was Arizona’s first airport to offer residents fly-in access to homes and was originally built in 1951 as a way to draw potential investors and guests to the area for town founders Tom Darlington and K.T. Palmer.
Since then, numerous military pilots have flown the runway including WWII veterans, several of whom will appear at the event.
“We are excited to put on a celebration that commemorates the men and women of our military and 50 years of Arizona flight history, with a full day of events for aviation buffs of every age,” said Samantha Gesell, SkyRanch representative.
“From being the first facility in Arizona to offer fly-in access to homes, to the hosting of a long line of men and women who utilized SkyRanch after selflessly serving their country, we are proud of the role the airport played for pilots, guests and the community,” she said.
While SkyRanch is privately owned and funded, it provides support for emergency medical air transport and fire fighting efforts, convenient accessibility to the area and a significant contribution to the economic activity of the community, according to Carefree Mayor David Schwan.
“SkyRanch adds to the overall character and flavor of the town,” he said.
For information on the airport go to skyranchcarefree.com or call 480-488-3571.
The Veterans Day festivities in Carefree get under way from 4 – 6 p.m. on Friday with a free event at the Amphitheater in Carefree, on 101 Easy Street.
The festivities will include an honor guard from Luke Air Force Base, the National Anthem performed by April Manchester. The swing band will present a musical tribute to veterans. A quartet of veterans will speak.
The Association of the United States Army will have representatives available to assist any veterans with questions.
The Veterans Heritage Project from Cactus Shadows High School, a club that interviews veterans for an annual publication, will be in attendance
Additionally Packages from Home will have a collection table. Attendees are encouraged to bring items that can easily be shipped to troops serving overseas. The most-needed include drink mix singles (including coffee and hot chocolate), jelly in 20 oz. squeezable tubes, trail mix, small jars of peanut butter (plastic containers), socks, travel-size tissue packs, and foot/body powder. Alternatively, PFH representatives will be on hand to accept any cash donations, since each package costs $12.95 to ship. For information on Packages from Home, visit packagesfromhome.org.
The Carefree Kiwanis Club (kiwaniscarefree.org) will be providing light refreshments (coffee, tea, water and cookies) to both veterans and attendees alike free of charge.

ANTHEM
Anthem’s Veterans Day celebration begins at 10 a.m., Friday in Anthem Community Park with the dedication of the new Anthem Veteran’s Memorial. The memorial includes five marble pillars, representing each of the branches of the U.S. military. There will be numerous speakers leading up to 11:11 a.m. when the sun will shine through the ellipsis in the pillars directing the light onto the the Great Seal of the United States, which is in the middle of the ring of honor. The ring includes brick pavers with the names of veterans, the years they served as well as which branch they served in.
Beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday the 7th annual Daisy Mountain Veterans Parade will get under way.
Six members of the Navajo Code Talkers who served with the U.S. Marines in the Pacific during World War II will be the guests of honor, serving as honorary Grand Marshals.
Today, fewer than 50 of the 420 Code Talkers who served during World War II survive.
The Code Talkers will be available following the parade to meet the public at “Veterans Row” in the Anthem Community Park. They have agreed to autograph the book, “Warriors, Navajo Code Talkers”, for those interested.
Following a strategic landing by a Blackhawk helicopter, the Daisy Mountain Veterans Parade will step off promptly from King Drive and Gavilan Peak Parkway. Almost 100 units and more than 2,000 marchers will participate. The theme this year is “Arizona History” in recognition of Arizona’s 100th anniversary. The parade has been designated as an official Arizona Centennial Event, one of a very select group of functions to earn that designation.
The parade route goes north on Gavilan Peak Parkway past Boulder Creek High School and by the Anthem Community Park. The parade then goes east on Anthem Way before turning south on Freedom Way, eventually ending in the Anthem Community Center parking lot.