Andrews – Veterans Day celebrations started on Oct. 26 with the sixth annual Welcome Home event returning to Western Carolina Regional Airport, where it has been absent since 2022.
The event offers the public a way to welcome home veterans from their service as well as giving thanks to them for that service while also offering veterans a way to come together in remembrance.
The festivities also featured the Murphy and Andrews elementary school choruses offering a medley of patriotic songs before the keynote speaker, Staff Sgt. Wayne Dupree, a decorated Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians service member who served in three branches of the U.S. military – Navy, Coast Guard Reserve and Army National Guard, respectively.
Dupree’s speech focused on what sacrifice and service mean to those who enlist to fight for America’s freedoms and ended with a reading of “A Soldier’s Creed” and prayers for God’s blessings on our nation.
The Stand Down area offered is a place for local services to veterans of all branches to have their booths ready with advice and access to programs that cater specifically to veterans’ unique needs.
Danna Pash, director of Cherokee County Veterans Service Office, was on hand as well as Mark Ware, who serves as the new director of Warriors Veteran Outreach alongside his duties as the disabled veterans outreach program specialist and local veterans’ employment representative with N.C. Works. The two were available to talk with veterans about accessing programs in Cherokee and surrounding counties, such as navigating assistance with disability and medical claims and care, educational and employment opportunities as well as survivor and other benefits.
Too, there were more than 40 vendors in attendance offering information and goods, including several veteran-owned businesses as well as Andrews Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7620 to help encourage membership and camaraderie for local veterans. Each veteran attending the event also received a $10 food voucher for lunch from one of several local food trucks on site, as well as a raffle ticket for items donated by local businesses.
Classic cars and the Combat Veterans Motorcycle were also in attendance to show off vintage cruisers and modern engines.
Sponsored annually by American Legion Post 532 of Hayesville, the event also featured various static aircraft provided by the Liberty Foundation and N.C. State Troopers Association with one of their fleet’s helicopters, the Bell 429, acquired in early 2023, which is meant for use in swift rescue situations as well as to provide additional aviation support.
More helicopters from both the N.C. Forest Service and National Guard were expected at the event. However, in light of their use in recent recovery efforts due to Hurricane Helene, those aircraft and personnel were unable to attend the event.
Flyovers were offered by both a 1945 P51 and C47 with The Liberty Foundation also on hand with a static B17. There was also an extensive military memorabilia museum set up in one of the hangars with accoutrements and gear from several eras of combat.
Details: Visit cherokeecounty-nc.gov/246/Veterans-Services.