By Angie Toole
For the past several years, the Emerald Coast Exchange Club (ECEC) has held its Salute‐A‐Veteran event at the Air Armament Museum, recognizing local veterans and active-duty service members in the area with a flag display and tags purchased by sponsors to recognize the service and heroism of friends, family members and local icons.
This year, club members plan to hold the event for an entire week, starting with an opening ceremony on Sat., Nov. 5, through Sat., Nov. 12. “This display of hundreds of flags along the right of way at one of the busiest roadways in Okaloosa County is always inspiring to the community and is a great opportunity for all of us to show our appreciation for the freedoms our service members have protected,” said Spence Parkin, chair for the 2022 event.
Funds raised from this event by the ECEC will go to promote Americanism and fund veterans’ projects in the community. “As a club, we also recognize youth in our community, and stand as advocates for the prevention of child abuse,” said Club President Ron Toole. “Our programs of service support our Core Values: family, community and country.”
“We also hope to sponsor a Freedom Shrine in a local school this year to inspire local schoolchildren with copies of foundational documents from our nation’s history,” Toole said. “Other patriotic events we participate in include helping homeless veterans; giving local children a flag when they recite the flag; and promoting patriotism among our youth by sponsoring them at a state‐wide Americanism speech contest.”
In September, the Emerald Coast Exchange Club distributed 432 American flags to children at the Fort Walton Beach High School military night as part of their Give A Kid A Flag program. “We are asking for donations from your business to help support these and other worthy causes our organization undertakes,” Parkin said. “In return, your business will be recognized at the event, in our promotional material, social media and signage, as well as through recognition of individual veterans and active service members of your choice. This could be a wonderful opportunity for you to recognize veterans in your company, as well as those veterans or active-duty members with whom you do business or work alongside.”
Sponsorships are at several different levels:
Diamond Level Sponsors ($2,500): The opportunity to recognize 20 veterans of their choice on flags at the event. Logos featured prominently on sponsor listing on event programs, on display at the grounds, in remarks at the event and online.
Platinum Level Sponsors ($1,000): The opportunity to recognize 15 veterans of their choice on flags at the event. Logos included on sponsor listing on event programs, on display at the grounds, in remarks at the event and online.
Gold Level Sponsors ($500): The opportunity to recognize 10 veterans of their choice on flags at the event. Logos included on sponsor listing on event programs, on display at the grounds, in remarks at the event and online.
Silver Level Sponsors ($250): The opportunity to recognize five veterans of their choice on flags at the event. Logos included on our sponsor listing on event programs, on display at the grounds, in remarks at the event and online.
Bronze Level Sponsors ($100): The opportunity to recognize one veteran of their choice on flags at the event. Logos included on sponsor listing on event programs, on display at the grounds, in remarks at the event and online.
All sponsors of $250 and above can make donations through the National Exchange Club Foundation via a Pass Through Grant, which will provide paperwork from the national level to make their contribution tax deductible.
Those interested in sponsoring a veteran to be honored on a flag may sign up at https://emeraldcoast.exchangefundraising.org/salute-a-veteran-2022/Campaign/Details.
