The color RED will envelop the town of Fountain Hills, Arizona on Veterans Day, Friday November 11th in honor of the nations’s military men and women… and yes the opportunity to fly in a B-17 Warbird and possibly a B-25 is available to you! Read below to see how this exciting day will unfold…by Chairman, Jim McClellan
Click here to view Aircraft from Falcon Field: 11-11-11 Veterans Appreciation Day
At 1:50 pm on November 11th you will hear the bugler sounding Revelry. That will be the start of the event in Fountain Hills, Arizona called Veterans Appreciation Day.
We have not had a ticker tape parade to welcome home our hero’s since WWII. Most people want to show their support and more importantly their appreciation for all that our veterans and their families have done for us and our great country.
Remember that a veteran (active, reserve or retired) at one point in their life signed a blank check, payable to the citizens of the United States of America defend and protect up to, and including the loss of their life.
An obscure attempt to show thanks was started in Canada about 2005 and it was called “Blood Friday.” Over the years it morphed into Red Shirt Friday. No one is certain how or when this happened and it has been slow to catch on. Fountain Hills is going to change that!
We are a town of patriots and volunteers. So one day not too long ago over hot dogs at the Octagon Cafe John Pletz, recent past president of the VFW, and his wife Carol partnered with the American Legion and Am Vets to hatch a plan to bring attention to Red Shirt Friday.
November 11, 2011 was selected as the perfect storm day. It’s 11-11-11. It’s Veterans Day and the first day of the Arts and Crafts Fair.
General Bud Farrington (ret.) has been asked about a flyover. Judd Gambill (ret.) has been asked about the participation of the Commemorative Air Force. Jim and Carol Hardin have been asked about the participation of Navy Seal skydivers
That night at the restaurant I explained to a couple of my customers what we were trying to do. Tait Elke, Elke Law Office, was recruited to help and on and on it went until the word spread and people where coming up to offering all kinds of help. Here are our plans that are confirmed as of this writing…
2:00 Welcome, Prayer, Pledge and National Anthem
2:15 Two F-16s will be making two passes over the lake
2:20 Guest speakers
2:40 Skydivers
2:45 Everyone in attendance will be asked to form two columns, follow the two Color Guardsmen as they walk along the sidewalk and meet on the other side of the lake. Then everyone will be asked to walk down to the lake’s edge.
3:15 With up to 7000 people ringing the lake and the Fountain colored red in honor of our veterans, a B-17 and possibly a B-25 will do two pass-overs at about 1000 feet above the lake. Tickets to ride in the planes are still available.
This event will be covered by the media and it will be videotaped. We will do it again next year and every year thereafter until all our Veterans are home.
At this time we need more sponsors and more volunteers to insure the success of this event. To get involved, make a donation or help sponsor this inaugural day of appreciation, please email us at vetappday@gmail.com.
Here are our goals:
All proceeds from the sale of the red shirts go directly to the homeless Veterans. We will raise awareness of the current and unacceptable way of dealing with our Returning Heroes. Wear the shirt proudly every Friday to silently thank those that have served and their families.
After the event help the event video ‘go viral’ to spread the word that if the proud town of Fountain Hills, Arizona can do this for their Vets so can every other community.















