The new Mission BBQ restaurant opened at Lady Lake Commons with a salute to military and law enforcement.

A major highlight of the restaurant’s opening was the presentation of a $493,378 check to the Honor Flight Network. Representatives of Villages Honor Flight were on hand to receive the check from Mission BBQ founders, Steve Newton and Bill Kraus.

Mission BBQ donated $493,378 to the Honor Flight Network.

Vintage military equipment was on display Monday in the restaurant’s parking lot, including a World War II military Jeep and a 1943 M15A1 Halftrack, a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun on a half-track chassis.

John Grasse of the Village of Silver Lake of the Villages WW2 History Club stands next to his 1943 Jeep which has been in his family since 1955.
Dave and Judy Thomas of Ocklawaha stand in front of their 1943 M15A1 Halftrack which the couple brought to the grand opening.

A color guard from the Col. Phillip C. DeLong 1267 Marine Corps League in The Villages participated in the opening. The Sounds of Scotland provided music.

Steve Newton addresses the crowd as Bill Kraus looks on. Newton and Kraus founded Mission BBQ.
Members of the Col.Phillip C. Delong Detachment 1267 of the Marine Corps League presented the colors at the grand opening.

This is the second restaurant to open at Lady Lake Commons. Miller’s Ale House opened last year. A Huey Magoo’s restaurant will be opening next to Mission BBQ, which has 91 locations across the country.