Central Florida Veterans Memorial Park Foundation, Inc.

                                              De Voorhees, CFVMPF President

At the March 9th meeting of the Veterans Club of Celebration, De Voorhees, President of Central Florida Veterans Memorial Park Foundation, briefed members on the Memorial of the Fallen at Lake Nona.  De explained the Memorial honors about 1,100 fallen heroes from six Central Florida counties.  He encouraged members to visit the Memorial located adjacent to the VA Medical Center at Lake Nona.

The Veterans Club of Celebration was organized in 2007 to provide support to honorably discharged Veterans and to participate and support community events.

On  September 27th, many Donors gathered at the Winter Park Civic Center to be honored by the Central Florida Memorial Park Foundation during the Donor Thank-A-Thon.  This was a special event to personally thank the many Donors who have generously given to honor the Fallen from our six Central Florida Counties for the Memorial at Lake Nona and who continue to donate for the upkeep of the Walls and landscaping.

LTG (Ret) Jay Garner, CFVMPF Honorary Chairman, was the honored speaker at the event.  General Garner honored the Fallen Heroes by referring to the Memorial Walls for specific wars and conflicts.  Gen Garner said “In the 99 years since WWI began, we have been engaged in 18 conflicts – we have been in conflicts 82% of the time.   Serving your nation is very, very risky business.”

Special guests, Donn and Jeanne Weaver, Gold Star Parents from Brevard County, shared their appreciation for the Memorial which names their son, LT Todd William Weaver on the Post Vietnam Memorial Wall.  LT Weaver served in the US Army and was a combat veteran of both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.  Todd was killed on September 9, 2010.

Jeanne Weaver displayed over 20 oil paintings depicting specific times in Todd’s life.  These paintings are included as photo’s in her book, “Losing Todd: A Mother’s Journey”

For additional information about Todd’s life and Jeanne Weaver’s book, visit the website: http://www.losingtoddamothersjourneyfindingpeaceinmyheart.com/

Special thank you and appreciation to Panera Bread – the event sponsor.

 LTG (Ret) Jay Garner, CFVMPF Honorary Chairman

Jerry Pierce, CFVMPF Chairman

DeLloyd Voorhees, Jr., CFVMPF President

Jeanne and Donn Weaver, Gold Star Parents

Paintings of LT Todd Weaver
By Jeanne Weaver

Photographs Courtesy of Sharon Breece

The Central Florida Memorial Park Foundation is pleased to announce a special event to be held on September 27, 2016 at 10:30 a.m.  The  “Donor Thank-A-Thon” event is to express our appreciation and to honor the many Donors that made the Memorial a reality through their generous contributions.

Winter Park Civic Center 
1050 West Morse Blvd 
Winter Park, Florida

Coffee/Danish will be provided by Panera Bread.

Please RSVP by September 19th to: CFVMPF.RSVP@gmail.com

Central Florida Veterans Memorial, Inc., co-hosted the Consulate of France at a ceremony at the VA Medical Center at Lake Nona on July 6, 2016.  The Legion of Honor Medal to American WWII Veterans honored seven WWII Veterans who fought on French soil during WWII.

On the 60th anniversary of the Normandy landings, France decided to grant the Legion of Honor to all the U.S. Veterans who fought on French soil.  It is a way to thank those who are still among us and also a token of gratitude towards the many soldiers who gave their lives in the name of freedom, and a symbol of the great Franco-American relationship.

Ms. Brigitte Jensen, Honorary Consul of France in Orlando welcomed all guests.  The singing of the French National Anthem and the United States National Anthem was a highlight of the program.

Speakers were Mr. Jerry Pierce, Chairman of Central Florida Veterans Memorial Park Foundation, Inc. and Mr. Philippe Letrilliart, Consul General of France.

The presentation of French Legion of Honor Medals was made by Consul General Philippe Letrilliart and Captain Jean-Michel Caffin, French Army Reserve to the following:

Ralph Bove
George Davis
Anthony Falbo
Murvin Goyette
Donald Koelbel
Roland Lee
Eric Reilinger

Central Florida was represented by Eric Reilinger from Melbourne, Florida (Brevard County) and George Davis from Port Orange, Florida (Volusia County).

  
Singing the French National Anthem                                    SPEAKERS
and the U.S. National Anthem
              

THE LEGION OF HONOR PRESENTATIONS

Jerry Pierce, Central Florida Veterans Memorial Park Foundation, Inc., Chairman,
and Consul Staff

Donn and Jeanne Weaver, the parents of 1st LT Todd William Weaver, visited the Veterans Memorial at Lake Nona on June 28, 2016.

1st Lt. Todd William Weaver, 26, was killed in action in Kandahar,  Afghanistan on September 9, 2010.  He died while leading his platoon and protecting the freedoms of the family, friends, and country he loved.  Lt Weaver’s  short life was full, happy, and exceptionally accomplished. A veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he was a decorated officer with an extremely bright future in the military.

Donn and Jeanne Weaver

    Donn Weaver                                                                  Chaplain James Smith
Jim Donovan
Donn and Jeanne Weaver

***********************

During their visit to the Memorial, Donn and Jeanne presented a copy of the book, Losing Todd A Mother’s Journey, written by Jeanne Weaver to be placed in the Chapel which is adjacent to the Memorial.

Jeanne Weaver’s presentation to Chaplain James Smith

Following their visit, Jeanne Weaver
wrote the following about their visit:

“Today, June 28, 2016, was a memorable day for me. The Memorial built at Lake Nona is monumental and beautiful. To see Todd’s name etched into its stone and to feel the relief of the letters is something I will never forget. Thank you. 

I believe that each of us is given a gift by God that will see us through those most difficult times in our lives. For me, it was the ability to express my emotions of love through my art. 

The book is the story of why and how I painted the paintings. Yes, the story is about my son, Todd; but more important than building a legacy of paintings in memory of my son, it is a story about healing. It means so much to me that you understood that. 

I am honored to know that Losing Todd A Mother’s Journey is placed in the Lake Nona Memorial Chapel. As you said, it is a Chapel, not only for remembrance; but for healing. Perhaps someone in need will look through the book and find their own inspiration; and through that their God-given gift in finding hope, peace, and love. “

Jeanne Harris Weaver and Donn Weaver

For additional information about 1LT Todd W. Weaver  go to the following website:  http://1lttoddweaver.org

For additional information about Todd’s life and the book Losing Todd A Mother’s Journey, go to the following website:http://www.losingtoddamothersjourneyfindingpeaceinmyheart.com

A Memorial Day Ceremony was held at the CFVMPF Memorial at Lake Nona on May 30, 2016.  During the ceremony Gold Star families were recognized and the following six names were unveiled having been added to the Memorial Wall:

John C. Bratton, USA – World War II
Pablo A. Ruiz III, USA – Operation Enduring Freedom
Luis M. Melendez Sanchez, USAF – Operation Enduring Freedom
Joseph L. Schiro, USA – Operation Enduring Freedom
Todd W. Weaver, USA – Operation Enduring Freedom
Joshua L. Wheeler, USA – Operation Iraqi Freedom

Photos taken during the Ceremony by Sharon Breece

         
Timothy Liezert. Director VAMC                            Jerry Pierce, CFVMP Chairman

      
DeLloyd Voorhees, CFVMPF President             Ron DeSantis, U.S. Representative

         
LTG (Ret) Benjamin Mixon                          CAPT Richard Black, CFVMPF Chaplain

        
Joe Kittinger, CFVMPF Advisor                                             Madelyn Corcoran

        
Friends and Family

Residents of CLC

         
Viewing the names of friends and family on the Memorial Walls

The Orlando VA Medical Center dedicated two Directors Conference Rooms on May 26, 2016, to honor two great American Heroes.  They both were instrumental in bringing the VA Medical Center to Orlando and both served as Board Members of the Central Florida Veterans Memorial Park Foundation and in making the Memorial a reality.

The Directors Conference Rooms were dedicated in honor of:

LIEUTENANT COLONEL EARLE DENTON
and
THE HONORABLE WILLIAM C. COLEMAN JR.

Earle Denton was a veteran of both the Korean and the Vietnam Wars.  He distinguished himself in numerous battles including the infamous battle for Pork Chop Hill during the Korean conflict where his actions earned him both the Purple Heart and Silver Star.

Bill Coleman served with the 101st Airborne on their D-Day drop on France which included serving almost a year as a prisoner of war during World War II.  He was the recipient of two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart.  Fifty years after he made his first jump over Normandy he did it again in 1994.

Timothy W. Liezert, Director of the  VA Medical Center, Making Presentation to:

Toni Coleman               and             Carol Denton

Photographs taken by Sharon Breece

Monday, May 30, 2016 “Memorial Day Ceremony”
2:00 p.m.  

The Central Florida Veterans Memorial Park Foundation, Inc. will add six additional names to the 1,100 names of the Fallen at the Memorial.  The program will begin at 2 PM on Memorial Day with LTG Benjamin “Randy” Mixon, USA (ret) as keynote speaker.

The Memorial is located adjacent to the new VA Medical Center at Lake Nona.  Access is through the front gate of the VA Medical Center.

The six additional Fallen are:

Joseph L. Schiro, USA (Orlando, Orange County)

Joshua L. Wheeler, USA (Brevard County)

Pablo A Ruiz III, USA, (Melbourne, Brevard County)

John C. Bratton, USA (Kissimmee, Osceola County)

Todd William Weaver, USA, (Melbourne, Brevard County)

Luis Melendez Sanchez, USAF, (Oviedo, Seminole County)

Due to limited seating, please RSVP to: CFVMPF.RSVP@gmail.com

Earle Denton was a long term member at Rio Pinar Country Club (since 1969) now Rio Pinar Golf Club .  He joined it the first day he was assigned here.  When George Ryan cleaned out his golf  locker after his death he found a few dozen balls and conceived the idea of giving Earle a golfing “21 gun” salute into the pond at hole #12.  George arranged a golf tournament and it was decided to make it a fundraiser for Earle’s favorite charity CFVMPF now known as  Veterans Memorial Lake Nona.  A number of folks signed up to play in this scramble Sunday afternoon March 20 for this tribute.  $1200.00 was collected and or donated for this event.  This photo depicts the salute with (from left to right) Randy Krizmanich, Rob Teegarden, Mike Motko, Scott Stambaugh , Dan Schyvinck.  Photo 2 shows George Ryan, Vinnie Oliveri, Carol Denton, Susan Denton observing the shootout.   In addition a Magnolia tree was planted and a plaque installed in honor of Earle L Denton at the tee by hole 17.