RSVP Events

9:00 AM to 11:00 AM Groundbreaking

William R Gaines Jr. Veterans Memorial Park

PARK ADDRESS
20414 Edgewater Dr
Port Charlotte, FL 33952

VIP Reception 9-10 AM

Breakfast will be made available through the generosity of the Twisted Fork restaurant. There will be tents setup by the Gold Star Marker near the covered parking area and the rest rooms. This area is limited to special guests, Beirut Veterans, and Gold Star Families. There will be parking attendants and shuttles if needed.

Groundbreaking Program 10-11 AM

  • Welcome 
  • Posting of the Colors 
  • Invocation 
  • Pledge of Allegiance 
  • National Anthem 
  • Historical Story 
  • Personal Survivor Story 
  • Gold Star Families Story
  • National Story
  • Benediction 
  • KC-135 Flyover - #AFFlyover

Photo Op 11 - 11:30 AM

Picture opportunity of turning dirt with shovels.

Map from Park to Museum

Map to Military Museum

12:00 PM to 2:00 PM Historical Update

Military Heritage Museum

MUSEUM ADDRESS:
900 West Marion Avenue,
Punta Gorda, FL 33950

RSVP Lunch 12-1 PM

A BBQ Lunch willl be provided by Cheney Brothers in the court yard at the Military Heritage Museum.  All RSVP guests are invited to join us at the museum for lunch and a historical update on the Beirut Peacekeeper Memorial Tower in the Gulf Theater which is located inside the museum.

Tower Historical Update 1-2 PM

  • Introduction - Welcome from WRGJVMF Board Members
  • Charlotte County Administration,- Will share behind the scences commitment staff have put into supporting the park.
  • The Tower Design, Karl Bernhard, SweetSparkman - Will share the story behind the design and meaning behind its unique elements
  • Building the Tower, Willis Smith Construction - Will share their background and reasons for wanting to work on this project
  • An Educational History of Beirut 1982-1984, Mireille Rebeiz, PhD and Jim Breckenridge, PhD - Will review their work for vetting the material for the panels within the tower.
  • Military Heritage Museum Partnership, Gary Butler - Will share a brief overview of the collaborative work on grants and how the park and tower project tie into long term goals with the museum and community.
  • Charlotte County Community Foundation Partnership, Justin Brand - Will share details on our partnership to build and support the tower in the future for the Charlotte community.
  • "We Came in Peace" Documentary, Elisa Camera, American Brother Foundation - Will share their story regarding the documentary and preview of the film.
  • Conclusion with Q&A

Museum Tour

The Military Heritage Museum has generously offered to open their doors after the information session to all guests to tour the museum. This is an excellent opportunity to see the unique collection of historical artifacts they have.