Bay Pines VA to Hold Annual Memorial Day Ceremony May 29 Bay Pines ceremony largest in Pinellas County; more than 4,000 expected

Events, General News

 

BAY PINES, FL – The Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (VAHCS) will commemorate Memorial Day with a ceremony on Monday, May 29 at 10:00 a.m. The event will take place at the Bay Pines National Cemetery located at 10,000 Bay Pines Blvd., St. Petersburg, FL 33708.

This is the only National Cemetery in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties and the largest observance of Memorial Day with more than 4,000 expected attendees. Veterans, their families and friends, and the general public are invited to attend. Prior to the ceremony, on Saturday, May 27, volunteers from the community will mark more than 35,000 graves at the cemetery with U.S. flags to honor the men and women who served the nation.

Keynote speaker for the event will be U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Edward W. Sandlin, Commander, Air Station Clearwater. Other speakers include U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, 13th Congressional District of Florida and local VA leaders from the Bay Pines VAHCS, St. Petersburg VA Regional Office and Bay Pines National Cemetery. The master of ceremonies will be Fox 13 anchor and reporter Alcides Segui. The ceremony will also feature musical performances by the Suncoast Symphony Orchestra (60-piece orchestra), and traditional military tributes.

Vietnam Veterans who attend the ceremony may receive a commemorative lapel pin and other items as part of the Bay Pines VAHCS’s continued commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. Click here to learn more about the commemoration.

Parking for the ceremony will be available nearby. Shuttles will provide transportation for guests from parking lots to the National Cemetery (download and view the Bay Pines visitor guide here – map on page 2-3). The venue is handicapped accessible. A sign language interpreter will be available for the hearing impaired. The ceremony will be held rain or shine. Please plan appropriately for inclement weather.

For further information about the event or to volunteer to help mark graves, please contact the cemetery office at 727-319-6479.

This event is open for media coverage. For advanced information, please contact Jason Dangel, Public Affairs Officer, at 727-398-9531 or email vhabaypublicaffairs@va.gov.

About Jeff Cavanagh

Jeff Cavanagh spent his freshman year at St. Petersburg Junior College back in the early 70s before enlisting in the United States Navy. Soon after, he attended Jacksonville University on a Navy ROTC scholarship. After college, he was commissioned and became a qualified Surface Warfare Officer spending the next 22 years honing his skills as a ship-handler and expert recruiter before retiring in 1994. Jeff expresses a deep sense of pride in St. Petersburg College due to connections that go back many years. His father, Tom Cavanagh, was a career Air Force fighter pilot and combat veteran who taught Geography and Western Civilization at St. Petersburg Junior College in the 60’s and 70’s.