The Villages Twirlers and Drum Corps is having a busy and fulfilling weekend paying tribute to veterans.
On Saturday, the group marched in the 2019 Orlando Veterans Day Parade – an event team Capt. Ann Pelle deemed a huge success.
“There was a huge, loudly cheering crowd,” she said. “We are always very well received at all of the Orlando parades that we have been invited to.”
Pelle said the event was exciting for the whole team from the minute Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer cut the ribbon to get the event started.
“There were numerous veterans groups and first responders, as well as marching bands, floats and dignitaries,” she said.
On Sunday afternoon, the group returned home to perform at halftime of Sunday’s match at The Villages Polo Club. Pelle said the number was put together as a special tribute to the Armed Forces.
“It was a beautiful day, sunny and clear, and it felt so good to be thanking our veterans for their service through a rousing tribute to them,” Pelle said. “The crowd was fantastic and very enthusiastic!”
Villagers also will have a chance to see Pelle and company perform on Monday, as her team will be at Brownwood Paddock Square taking part in Parady Financial Group’s Tribute to Veterans. That event kicks off at 5 p.m. and also will include a performance by The Villages Cheerleaders; entertainment provided by Scooter the DJ; The Villages Nomads riding through the town square area to pay tribute to Honor Flight veterans; a display of Model As, Model Ts and other vehicles from The Villages Classic Automobile Club; a 50/50 chance drawing to benefit Honor Flight; the presentation of flags by the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office’s Honor Guard; and market and food vendors.
Pelle said events honoring veterans are particularly important to her because of a long military history in her family. As a child, she was adopted in Germany by an Air Force family. And her father, siblings, husband, son and son-in-law all are veterans.
“I am so blessed to be a part of giving back to our veterans, as they have given so much to me,” she said. “To me, the word veteran means love, family and service to the United States of America.”
