Military salute to veterans in Chattanooga June 13-14

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June 4, 2008

CHATTANOOGA — The Greater Chattanooga Chapter of the American Red Cross is working with Hamilton Place Mall to host “A Military Salute” in conjunction with Flag Day, June 13 and June 14. The event will be an opportunity for the community to express their support of our troops currently serving in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as those veterans who served our country in the past. “A Military Salute” also celebrates the return of the local 181st Army Reserve group from Iraq.

“The Red Cross is the only organization chartered by Congress to serve as a communication channel for armed service members and their families in times of crisis so we are thrilled to partner with Hamilton Place to honor our military. This type of recognition means so much to the military families who live in our area,” said Barbara Alexander, executive director of the Greater Chattanooga Area American Red Cross. “We encourage all members of the military and their families, including veterans and active duty, to participate in this very special event.”

Local dignitaries, including Mayor Ron Littlefield, will be on hand to officially kick off the event at the Hamilton Place Mall on Friday, June 13, at 10 a.m. Area residents will be able to show their appreciation of our military personnel with a variety of activities at the Mall.

• Care Packages: Donations of personal items for those serving overseas will be collected by Red Cross volunteers during the two-day event. The Red Cross is also seeking monetary donations to help offset the considerable expense of shipping these gifts overseas. Items that are greatly appreciated include batteries, toiletries, dusting cloths for removing sand, leisure time items such as DVDs and CDs, variety packs of greeting cards to send back home, etc. For a complete list of items visit www.redcross.org/salute.

Donated items can be dropped off at the Comcast Community Stage Mall from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, June 13, and Saturday, June 14.

• A Military Salute Photo Exhibit: Hamilton Place Mall will be exhibiting photos of area servicemen and women on the Comcast Community Stage TV screens throughout the weekend. The Red Cross is asking military families to submit digital photos of their loved ones by emailing them to AMilitarySalute@Yahoo.com no later than June 10. Please include the service member's name, rank and branch of service.

• Thank You Station: A Military Salute also includes a “Thank You’ station located at the Comcast Community Stage in the Mall where young and old alike can write notes of appreciation that will be sent to military units currently serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

• Family fun and entertainment: Stop by to enjoy entertainment on the Comcast Community Stage from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 13 and 14. Register to win a 32-inch HD TV courtesy of Comcast.

“This is a wonderful way for those of us not directly affected by the conflict overseas to say thank you. Families who are without their loved ones need to know they are appreciated as well. We invite everyone to attend this special Military Salute and recognize our service members and their families,” said Catharine Pangratz, group marketing director, Hamilton Place Mall.

About the Greater Chattanooga Area American Red Cross

The Greater Chattanooga Area American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies and serves more than 725,000 people in 13 counties. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time and money to do its work. For more information, call (423) 265-3455 or visit www.chattanoogaredcross.org.