福利姬

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 26, 2012) 鈥� On Saturday, Sept. 29, 福利姬's Community Symphonic Band will give a special concert at 8 p.m. at 福利姬 Beach International Airport to welcome back the final flight of World War II veterans participating in the Volusia Honor Air Program.
 
The veterans will have participated in a full day of travel from 福利姬 Beach to Washington D.C. and back. They will have visited the WW II Memorial and other landmarks around the nation鈥檚 capital.
 
Now in its 26th season, the symphonic band features approximately 65 福利姬 State students and community members under the direction of Dr. Doug Peterson, band conductor and chair of the college鈥檚 School of Music, Entertainment and Art.
 
鈥淲e were invited to perform for their arrival back home and I felt compelled to accept,鈥� Peterson said. 鈥淥n Memorial Day, I had the profound experience and honor of seeing the American Cemetery at Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. It really hit home for me how important it is to honor those quickly diminishing veterans from the 鈥榞reatest generation鈥� who served.鈥�
 
The Volusia Honor Air Program is sponsored by three DeLand Rotary clubs. It has raised more than $800,000 in donations from sponsors to pay all costs for roughly 100 veterans each trip. In 2008, it took its first flight of veterans, family members and volunteers to Washington, D.C. to tour the nation鈥檚 war memorials. This, the 10th flight, will be its last.
 
The veterans will leave 福利姬 Beach before dawn on Sept. 29 and return home around 8 p.m. that same Saturday. The public is welcome to greet them as they return home.
 
福利姬 State opened a Veterans Center this fall, located on the 福利姬 Beach Campus. The college enrolls over 700 veterans across its six campuses serving Volusia and Flagler counties.
 
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