Award winning Sailor Salute returns
Event set to honor active duty military, veterans, and first responders as part of football game
The award winning Sailor Salute, features a salute to veterans, military, police, fire and first responders and a football game between cross-town rivals, Mona Shores High School and Reeths-Puffer High School on Friday, September 13th, 2019.
WHAT IS SAILOR SALUTE: A community-wide salute, to pay tribute to those who serve our country and community. The event honors active duty military and their families, veterans and first responders including police, fire and emergency personnel.
All veterans, active duty personnel, police, fire and first responders are admitted free.
PURPOSE: The evening serves three purposes.
First, the event is meant to HONOR those who serve or have served our country in the military, in our police and fire departments, or as an emergency responder.
Second, the event is meant to EDUCATE our community of issues and needs that exist within these areas of service and remind those in attendance of the freedoms we enjoy.
Finally, the event is meant to CONNECT all of these branches of service with our community. As part of our great and proud Muskegon community, Mona Shores simply wants to celebrate such service.
WHEN: Friday, September 13, 2019 at Mona Shores High School during the football game with Reeths Puffer High School. Festivities and static displays open at 5:00pm. Football game starts at 7:00pm. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students.
ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS:
- Prior to the game, gates to Sailor Stadium will open at 5:00 pm and all people are welcome to walk around the facility to explore and get pictures with a variety of military and emergency responder vehicles. There will be interactive displays from all branches of the military as well as Muskegon-area fire and police.
- There will be a “COMMUNITY MASS CHOIR” that will sing “God Bless America” and the “National Anthem” on the field prior to the football game. EVERYONE throughout the county is invited to be part of the choir. Our goal is that we get 1000 community members to join us on the field. Show up at the Sailor Center Gymnasium at 5:15pm for rehearsal.
- A POW/MIA remembrance ceremony that includes a moment of silence and the playing of “Taps.”
- Mona Shores High School will host a VIP food tent for veterans, military and first responders.
- The football teams will participate in a special meet and greet with all veterans, military, police, fire and first responder just prior to the game.
- Hundreds of members of various motorcycle groups who support veterans, will parade into the football facility set their bikes up around the perimeter of the track.
- The Hooligan Flight Team will make a number of passes over Sailor Stadium in conjunction with the national anthem.
- Several new military enlistees will participate in the Oath of Enlistment ceremony.
- During the game there will also be a “MINUTE OF CHANGE” to raise funds for local veterans’ organizations.
- Cheerleaders from both Reeths Puffer and Mona Shores will knock out 22 pushups in observance of the “22Kill.com Pushup Challenge” – an activity that brings awareness to the fact that 22 veterans commit suicide daily.
FOOTBALL GAME: The Mona Shores Sailors will host the Reeths-Puffer in a crosstown rivalry game. Sailor Stadium is at 1121 Seminole Rd. Norton Shores, MI 49441. Game tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students. ALL current and former military, police, fire, and emergency responders are granted free admission if they are in uniform or have representative dress of servitude.
SOCIAL MEDIA: Please help us spread the word about this event and invite your friends to participate. Search Sailor Salute 2019 on Facebook.
PARKING: Parking will be available on school grounds – including the practice football field area behind the East Lot. Overflow parking will be at our soccer complex, Fairway Farms, and our neighboring churches.
HOW CAN I PARTICIPATE? We are recruiting community members to participate in a “Community Mass Choir” that will sing “America the Beautiful” and the “Star Spangled Banner” with the band prior to the game.
Any community member or alumnus that would like to sing before the game is welcome to take the field and sing along with all of our elementary, middle, and high school choirs. ALL are welcome to take part. To participate in the Community Mass Choir, just show up at the Sailor Center Gymnasium by 5:15pm for rehearsal. We want to see kindergartners standing alongside senior citizens – and everyone in between – from the entire Muskegon Community.
For more information please follow us on Facebook at Sailor Salute 2019 or contact Mona Shores Director of Athletics, Todd Conrad at conradt@monashores.net or call 231-332-8312.