Atlantic Broadband, Boucher Brothers and Avant –Garde Holdings Partnered With the Chamber & President Jerry Libbin Served As Grand Marshal
By: Danny Diaz
The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce along with Atlantic Broadband, Boucher Brothers and Avant-Garde Holdings participated in the City of Miami Beach’s Veterans Day Parade on Sunday, November 11. President and CEO Jerry Libbin was the grand marshal of the event and spoke at the ceremony, which was attended by few dozen people.
Honoring our military men and women, the largest parade of the day in South Florida took place on the iconic Ocean Drive from Fifth to 14 streets. The red, white and blue brigade moved into Lummus Park at noon for the closing festivities, which included a family picnic, wreath laying ceremony and a high-flying all veterans parachute team that topped off the lively day with an exhilarating landing.
During WWII, the beaches and hotels in the City of Miami Beach served as a home base for military troops. For over 50 years, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion have organized this parade as a salute to the troops for all that they’ve sacrificed to defend our nation’s freedom. For the past decade, the City of Miami Beach has continued this tradition.
Parade participation has grown ever since – multiplying from approximately 50 individuals to over 2,000 – including students, organizations, businesses, military groups and public officials. Continuing the patriotic tradition, there were veteran and military groups, school marching bands, and cars and pageant queens as the whole community comes out to pay homage to our brave troops.
The program included the Miami Beach Police and Fire Department Honor Guards’ presentation of the colors; a recital of the Pledge of Allegiance, the National Anthem and a moment of silence in honor of our First World War Armistice Day tradition. There was an address by top-level military officials from Southern Command and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Other activities included MBPD Honor Guard’s 21-gun salute and performance by a Taps bugler.
“Miami Beach Medical Group is proud to be the official sponsor for a fourth straight year to such an important event for our community,” shared Miami Beach Medical Group Chief Operating Officer Jose Sanchez. “As leading healthcare providers in Miami-Dade County and as one of the largest independent medical groups in Miami Beach, we give our thanks to the service provided by each of our veterans and the sacrifices that not only they have made, but those made by their families as well. We are excited to continue our partnership with Miami Beach and the veteran community for many years to come.”
As a designated City of Kindness, Miami Beach has partnered with Operation Gratitude to invite attendees to write letters of gratitude and encouragement for deployed service members, new recruits, and first responders; as well as veterans who have fought for our nation’s freedom overseas. An organization that seeks to lift the spirits and meet the evolving needs of the U.S. Military and First Responder communities through collection drives, letter writing campaigns, craft projects, and care package assembly events, Operation Gratitude donated more than 200 care packages that were handed out during the event to our honored veterans.
T-Mobile sponsored the elite parachute team. Additional partners included Coca-Cola: Exclusive Beverage of the City of Miami Beach, Atlantic Broadband, Y-100, MB Suncare, RXBAR, Sysco and the Clevelander South Beach.
