Veterans Day event at fairgrounds a celebration

I appreciate when readers take the time to share thoughts about subjects in my columns.

One column, which received a good number of emails, dealt with Heroes Hall — a museum planned for the Orange County Fairgrounds to honor this county’s veterans.

The project is spearheaded by fair board member Nick Berardino. (Disclosure: My husband is on the fair board too.)

In the column, Berardino, president of the Heroes Hall Foundation, said creating this museum was a way of honoring those men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country, not only in Vietnam, but in all wars. He served in Vietnam.

“This is a way they will never be forgotten,” he said.

Berardino’s comments hit a chord with many readers, who were in agreement, saying it was about time Orange County honored those who fought for our freedoms.

One lady wrote saying she had just donated her grandfather’s World War II memorabilia to the Smithsonian and regretted not knowing about the Heroes Hall project sooner, as she would have much rather donated the items there.

I was delighted to hear from Steve Spernak, policy advisor to 4th District Supervisor Shawn Nelson, who thanked me for the “nice story on Nick and Heroes Hall,” and wanted me to know about another free event that’s open to the public.

The 2015 Veterans Labor, Partners in Service Veterans Day event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 11 from at the O.C. Fair & Event Center.

“Veterans + Labor – Partners in Service” is a new project sponsored by California unions that spearheads helping veterans by providing volunteer service and opening doors to good jobs.

“The 18,000-member O.C. Employees Assn. is the primary sponsor with the county of Orange, helping with promotion and resources since we are the lead contacts with the Veterans Service Office, community resources, homeless shelter advocates for veterans, healthcare, education, jobs and housing,” Spernak said.

This is the third annual Veterans Day celebration at the fairgrounds.

Spernak estimated there are 133,000 veterans living in O.C., and called the upcoming event “a very special day.”

This year’s organizers are expecting more than 10,000 veterans to reflect and heal with friends and brothers who served.

The event is billed as a “community celebration intended to bring together thousands of veterans, service organizations, labor and local families to honor our heroes in uniform in a fun-filled celebration for all generations,” according to the website,

It’s also part of the Department of Defense’s 50th anniversary commemoration of the Vietnam War.

And at the event there will be an unveiling of the U.S. Postal Service’s Vietnam War Medal of Honor Stamp, along with a special tribute to Vietnam veterans.

Spernak’s father was a Marine master gunnery sergeant from 1942 to 1972 and fought with “Pappy” Boyington and the VMF 214 “Blacksheep” during the Pacific campaign.

Spernak handles all of Nelson’s veterans-related case management and military events.

“The O.C. Fairgrounds celebration of military service and sacrifice is Supervisor Nelson’s way of saying ‘thank you’ from his family and the 600,000 residents in his district,” says Spernak.

Nelson will staff an information booth and give free cigars to any veteran who walks up and say hello.

The day’s activities include live music and entertainment, free hot dogs, historic military vehicles, art stations to create appreciation cards for veterans, children’s activities and the distribution of free wheelchairs to disabled veterans.

There will also be a resource fair to connect veterans with service providers and job access. Visitors will also hear compelling stories of service and sacrifice.

And they’ll be a food drive. Organizers are asking for donations of nonperishable food items as well as personal hygiene items, such as toothpaste, soap and diapers. They collected 4 tons of food last year.

The event “will be tremendously impactful with history, information, community connections and veteran support groups ... “ said Bobby McDonald, chairman of the Orange County Veterans Advisory Council.

Since this column was inspired by the one I did on Berardino and Heroes Hall, I asked him for his thoughts on this upcoming event.

“This year’s event has very special significance,” he said. “We are honoring Vietnam War vets, a group that was treated in a manner that was disgraceful and damaging to the lives of those who sacrificed so much. I hope our community will attend this event so the Vietnam vets feel the love of a grateful Orange County.”

BARBARA VENEZIA lives in Newport Beach. She can be reached [email protected]. Listen to her weekly radio segment on “Sunday Brunch with Tom and Lynn” from 11 a.m. to noon on KOCI/101.5 FM or online at kociradio.com