The Liberty Fest was a great success!! The staff of the Santa Fe College Veteran Affairs Office extends a huge thank you to all who helped make this happen. Many volunteers and donations helped out including; Student Veterans, Subway restaurants, Santa Fe College, BBI Construction, Space Walk of Gainesville, Santa Fe College Police, Sandy Golden from GTN, Bob Gasche, Renaissance printing, The Gainesville Country Club, Benton Pediatrics, Visit Gainesville, Army recruiters, Army Reserve, Gainesville, Harley Davidson, UF ROTC, all of the great music from the Philman Band, Sin Waggin, Mid-Life Crises, On the Edge, Southern Feather Band, and the Ft. Clarke Middle School Band. So many other were involved with the planning for months before the event; thanks to the Malcolm Randall VA Hospital’s Armenthis Lester, Billy Brame from Brame Architects, Ed Van Buren from the American Legion, Bob Gasche from Iwo Trio, Candy Gleason from MOA, Cowboys Restaurant, Jim Lynch from Forest Meadows, Alachua County Fire Rescue and EMT, Alachua County ASO, ASO Explorers, Alachua County high schools JROTC programs, Terry Martin-Back, Jim Carr (Air Traffic Controller), Shand Care Air and many others. We hope to be able to provide this unique celebration of our community veterans next year. Again, thanks to every one for the help and a special thanks to the veterans.
The All American Liberty Fest is a PATRIOTIC FAMILY EVENT in celebration of Veterans Day. It will greatly benefit our veteran community and military organizations, highlight Alachua county veteran memorials, and provide a free, fun-filled annual event for the entire community to enjoy. During the day, veterans will have available to them a “one-stop” experience with VA healthcare and Florida Works Employment Services onsite. It will take place on November 6, 2011 from 1:00pm to 6:00pm at the S.W. side of the Santa Fe College campus (Intersection of South Rd. and 83rd st.) near the large flagpole and Liberty tree. Some of the activities include a motorcycle show, car show, static displays by Alachua County Sheriff’s Department, Florida National Guard, and Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo. Our Honorary Co-Chair for the All American Liberty Fest is Major General David E. Kratzer, the associate vice president for student affairs at the University of Florida in Gainesville. Additionally, there will be races, food, children’s activities, facepainting, live music an more. Everyone and anyone is invited to “welcome home” our veterans and thank the ones we already have. This All American Liberty Fest is sure to be a great way to cap the University of Florida Homecoming events. Save the date!
Please, no Pets!
UPDATE – FLAG COLLECTION BOX : Bring your old American flags to the All American Liberty Fest and we will ensure they are properly retired.
LIEUTENANT GENERAL JACK C. STULTZ
Chief, Army Reserve; Commanding General, U.S. Army Reserve Command.Lieutenant General Jack C. Stultz became Chief, Army Reserve, and Commanding General, United States Army Reserve Command, on 25 May 2006, after serving as the Command’s Deputy Commanding General since October 2005. Prior to assignment to the Army Reserve Command, Lieutenant General Stultz served as the Commanding General of the 143rd Transportation Command, which provides command and control to 12 units in the southeast United States.
Lieutenant General Stultz entered active duty in 1974 after receiving his commission from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Davidson College, North Carolina, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. After completing the Engineer Officer Basic Course and Airborne School, he was assigned to the 20th Engineer Battalion, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, serving as Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and Commander, Company B, 20th Engineer Battalion. Read More…
We are honored to have Major General David E. Kratzer as Honorary Co-Chair.
Kratzer is a distinguished military graduate who received his ROTC Commission and bachelor of science degree from Western Illinois University. He was director of the Curris Center at Murray State University from 1979-1986 and served as acting vice president for student development during that time, as well. Currently, Kratzer is the associate vice president for student affairs at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Kratzer was deployed to Afghanistan in December 2001 to serve as Commanding General of Coalition Forces Land Component Command’s Joint Civil Military Operations Task Force and Chief of the Office of Military Cooperation at the United States Embassy in Kabul. Kratzer received the Distinguished Service Medal and the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster as well as many others. His experience with international affairs will
give students a unique perspective on the issues facing the Middle East and the United States military policies.
Sheriff Sadie Darnell was elected Sheriff of Alachua County in November 2006; re-elected again in 2008 and is a strong veteran advocate.
Sheriff Darnell was born in Gainesville, FL, December 23, 1951; member, United Church of Gainesville; retired from the Gainesville Police Department, at the rank of Captain. Later, she was elected as Alachua County Sheriff in 2006. Sheriff Darnell graduated from Gainesville High School in 1969, received AA degree from Santa Fe Community College, BA and MA degrees from the University of Florida. Her professional education includes the following: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy, #168 Session, Quantico, VA; John F. Kennedy School of Government Executive Program, Harvard University, Boston, MA; National Sheriffs’ Institute, Executive Development Program, Read More…
