This is a re-print of a press release I received today about Memorial Weekend activities in Manteca, CA.

The annual Memorial Day Weekend Commemoration, the largest of its kind on the west coast, will be held at Woodward Park in Manteca May 30th beginning at 8:00 AM and continuing throughout the day culminating with a fireworks show at 8:15 PM to Welcome Home the safe return of all who have serviced our country.

The day begins with a 5k run in honor of Wounded Warrior Christopher Braley followed by a community wide memorial service in the park at 10:00 AM. A classic car show, military vehicle display, kids play zone, on-stage shows, fly-overs, helicopter landing, concessions, displays, and multiple activities all begin at 12:00 PM.

“Denver and the Mile High Orchestra”, a finalist in last year’s hit television program
The Next Great American Band will offer a free USO concert with dancing beginning
at 3:30 PM. Following the USO show there will be an evening ceremony honoring all
military veterans, and remembering the fallen. Special speaker will be wounded warrior Derek McGinnis who returned from Afghanistan minus a leg. Derek now competes in triathlons with a titanium prosthesis and has written the book Exit Wounds.
The ceremony will conclude with a 21 gun salute using the Army’s cannons which will
be fired over the top of the 5,800 crosses that will stand in memory of all who have
been lost since 9/11. The evening concludes with a fireworks show to celebrate our
freedom and welcome home all who have returned safely from their service.

A private dinner will be served on Saturday evening May 29th at Prestige Senior Living
in Manteca to the 42 families who have lost sons and daughters since 9/11 from our
city and nearby communities. The ninth panel of the Welcome Home Heroes Traveling
Tribute will be dedicated following the Gold Star dinner and will be held at Woodward
Park at approximately 5:30 PM. Sally Monsoor from Garden Grove will be our
honored guest at this dedication in as much as the image of her fallen son has been chosen
for the back ground on the panel. Michael Monsoor, a Navy Seal was given the
Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for service above and beyond the call of
duty. His heroic actions are directly responsible for saving the lives of six other men
who were in immediate danger from the explosive device upon which Michael covered
with his own body resulting in his death.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can assist you in any way in providing additional
information in assisting you in covering this event during the memorial day
weekend.

press release 3-9-10