MAY 2024

24th - 26th: Rolling Thunder® Inc Florida, State Ride For Freedom XXXVI. Mid Florida Event Center, Port St. Lucie  

24th: Gold Star Family Dinner - 1830 hours - Address: MIDFLORIDA Event Center, 9221 Southeast Event Center Place, Port St. Lucie. $25 for members.  RTFL1 will be conducting the missing man table presentation.

At the conclusion of the Gold Star Family Dinner, motorcycle riders and personal vehicles will leave from the MIDFLORIDA Event Center to ride in for the Candlelight Vigil at Veterans Memorial Park, 2100 SE Veterans Memorial Pkwy, Port St. Lucie.

25th: 1200 - 1800 Hours -  MIDFLORIDA Event Center, 9221 Southeast Event Center Place. Port St. Lucie.      Thunder Alley, Food Trucks, Car/Bike Show; Live Music by ShovelHed 1-3PM & Preacher Stone 4-6PM

26th: 1130 - MIDFLORIDA Event Center, 9221 Southeast Event Center Place, Port St. Lucie.

Volunteers report at 7AM

Registration Open: 9:00 - 11:00 AM
Safety Briefing 11:00 AM
Kickstands up at 11:30
Escorted ride ending at Treasure Coast Harley Davidson for after-ride celebration.

$20 Bike registration, $10 Passenger
 
Ride registration available at ALL Events

27th: Memorial Day

JUNE 2024

6th: D-Day
12th: Women Veterans Day

14th: U.S. Flag Day

16th: Father's Day
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20th: Summer Begins ♨

22nd: Poker Run
23rd: Coast Guard Auxiliary Birthday

27th: PTSD Awareness Day

JULY 2024

4th: Independence Day
7th:      Memorial Service 1500 (3:00PM), VFW James W. Dearborn Memorial Post #3282
               5810 S Williamson Blvd
               Port Orange, FL
                
On May 3rd., 2024, Rolling Thunder Chapter 8 Florida lost their Chapter President, Betty "De" Daniels. A memorial service will be held from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM on Sunday, July 7th, 2024, at the VFW James W. Dearborn Memorial Post #3282 in Port Orange, FL. (5810 S Williamson Blvd, Port Orange, FL 32128) In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Rolling Thunder Florida, Chapter 8, at www.rollingthunderfl8.com, or may be made to American Gold Star Mothers and mailed to Vivian Allen, 12 Price Road, Chester, NY 10918.
 
Betty "De" Daniels Obituary (1942-2024)
20th: Meeting - American Legion Post 16, 9am Breakfast - 10:00am Meeting

25th: National Hire A Veteran Day

27th: National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day

28th: National Buffalo Soldiers Day

Buffalo Soldiers Day on July 28th commemorates the formation of the first regular Army regiments comprising African American soldiers in 1866. Since they were frontier regiments, Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th and 10th Cavalries protected unsettled lands as pioneers moved westward. They also faced the hardships of the Wild West. During and after the Civil War, Army desertion rates remained high. However, among Buffalo Soldiers, low rates prevailed. They were also noted for their dedication and commitment during the Spanish-American War and other engagements during the late 1800s. 

In honor of the first Buffalo Soldiers Day in 1992, General Colin Powell dedicated a monument to the Buffalo Soldier. It's located at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where the 10th Calvary Buffalo Soldiers were based. The Buffalo Soldier Museum is located in Houston, Texas.

SSG Mark Matthews, the last of the United States Army Buffalo Soldiers, so called because their black curly hair reminded Indians of a buffalo's mane, died on September 6, 2005. He served along the U.S.-Mexican border as part of Gen. John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing's 1916 expedition into Mexico, on the trail of Mexican bandit and revolutionary Pancho Villa. He was the last remaining veteran of the Mexican Border campaign. Matthews lived to be 111 years old, and for his dedicated services, he was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.
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SSG Mark Mathews' final tribute
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Buffalo Soldier Monument - Fort Leavenworth, KS
29th: Army Chaplain Corps Anniversary

AUGUST 2024

4th: Coast Guard Day

7th: Purple Heart Day

10th: U.S. Department of Defense Birthday

10th: Agent Orange Awareness Day

14th: Navajo Code Talkers Day

16th: National Airborne Day

17th: Meeting - Middleburg VFW, 2296 Aster Ave, Middleburg, Fl 32068. 9am Breakfast - 10:00am Meeting

20th: Florida · Primaries - get out and make your voice heard

Florida · Primaries · United States House of Representatives

Florida · Primaries · United States Senate

Florida · Primaries · Florida House of Representatives

29th: U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Birthday

SEPTEMBER 2024

2nd: Victory over Japan (V-J Day)

2nd: Labor Day
2nd: Invitation to Veterans and Veteran Organizations
Unveiling Ceremony of the Veterans Monument and Flag
Time: 10:00 AM
Location: Columbia County Veterans Memorial Park, Lake City, Florida
Dear Veterans and Esteemed Veteran Organizations,

You are cordially invited to join us in honoring the brave men and women who have served our nation. On September 2, 2024, at 10 AM, we will gather at the Columbia County Veterans Memorial Park for the unveiling of a new monument and the raising of a flag dedicated to the veterans of Columbia County, Florida.

This monument and flagpole have been graciously provided by Mrs. Patricia Proctor in honor of her late husband, Philip Proctor, a proud US Navy Veteran. This event is a significant occasion to pay tribute to the sacrifices made by our veterans and to celebrate the enduring spirit of service and patriotism that they embody.

We invite all veterans, veteran organizations, and the community to come together for this solemn and memorable ceremony. Your presence will help make this event a true reflection of our collective respect and gratitude for those who have served our country.

Please RSVP by August 25, 2024, to ensure proper arrangements.

For more information or to confirm your participation, please contact:
Mel Haynes
[email protected]
(904) 432-3302 - Home
(386) 340-2117 - Cell

We look forward to your presence at this important event as we honor the legacy of our veterans and the values they have defended.

Sincerely,
Mel Haynes
Chaplain, American Legion Post 57, Lake City, FL
11th: National Day of Service and Remembrance (Patriot Day)
14th: Meeting - The Eagles, 7118 W. University Avenue - 10:00am Meeting

18th: U.S. Air Force Birthday

18th: Air National Guard Birthday

19th: Rolling Thunder® Chapter 1 Florida Anderderson, GA ride. KSU at 1100 Hours from Gainesville Harley-Davidson.

19th-22nd:  Rolling Thunder Georgia 3 Event

20th: National POW*MIA Recognition Day
29th: VFW Day

29th: Gold Star Mother’s Day

OCTOBER 2024

13th: U.S. Navy Birthday 🤗

19th: Meeting - American Legion Post 16, 9am Breakfast - 10:00am Meeting

19th: U.F. Homecoming Parade Float

26th: Day of the Deployed

31st: Halloween

NOVEMBER 2024

1st-2nd: Rolling Thunder® National Conference, Washington, D.C.

1st - 5th: National Veterans Small Business Week

5th: NATIONAL ELECTION DAY - MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT

3rd: Daylight Savings Time ends😀

10th: Marine Corps Birthday

11th: Veterans Day

16th: Meeting - American Legion Post 16, 9am Breakfast - 10:00am Meeting

28th: Thanksgiving Day

DECEMBER 2024

1st: Civil Air Patrol (USAF Auxiliary) Birthday

7th: National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

7th: Monthly Meeting & Christmas Party, 12 - 2pm. $20 gift exchange. Bring a covered dish.

13th: U.S. National Guard Birthday

18th: National Wreaths Across America Day

24th: Christmas Eve

25th: Christmas Day

25th: Hanukkah begins at sundown

26th: Kwanzaa begins

31st: New Year's Eve