Memorial Day events abound
Each and every year, Americans pay tribute to fallen military members on Memorial Day — a time to remember the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting for our country.
In the veteran-rich community of Southwest Florida, and Cape Coral being a Purple Heart City, residents have a myriad of opportunities over the holiday weekend to pay their respects and honor those who put it all on the line in the name of freedom, national security and independence.
Observed each year on the last Monday in May, Memorial Day is how America has saluted those who have lost their life while serving in the U.S. Military since 1868.
Events include:
Coral Ridge
Coral Ridge Funeral Home & Cemetery in Cape Coral will host its 44th annual Memorial Day service at 10 a.m. on Monday in the Veterans Honor Garden at 950 Chiquita Blvd. S. The event is free and open to the public, with water and shade provided.
The service will bring community leaders and veteran’s organizations together to honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
“Our annual Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to the men and women who have served and who have sacrificed,” said Coral Ridge Funeral Director and Air Force veteran Chuck Warren. “We hope the families who join us for the service gain a deeper appreciation for the importance of honoring our military, whether it’s those currently serving or veterans who served in the past.”
Juan Cordero, 1SG U.S. Army Ret., will serve as the chaplain for the service. Special Guests will include the Gold Star Parent & Families; individuals who have lost a child or sibling while serving. A “Roll Call” of deceased veterans will be read by Warren.
Keynote speakers this year include:
• Rep. Mike Giallombardo – a State Representative for Florida’s District 79, covering most of Cape Coral. He serves as chair of the Industries and Professional Activities Subcommittee and has been in the Florida House for more than four years. A combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Giallombardo has served nearly 17 years in the U.S. Army and currently holds the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 3 (CW3).
• Captain Vivian Gomez – Army National Guard, 164th Air Defense Battalion, now with 19 years of dedicated service to her country. She is also a school counselor at North Fort Myers High School. Throughout her years of service, she has taken on numerous responsibilities, each presenting unique challenges and opportunities for growth. She served in various capacities, always striving to uphold the values of honor, integrity, and selfless service.
• Mick Sheldrake – Senior Chief US Navy Ret. Sheldrake graduated from the US Navy Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun). Chief Sheldrake completed two Mediterranean deployments, seven Western Pacific Deployments (including three major deployments into the Persian Gulf). He is a current member on the Board of Directors for Cape Coral Kiwanis, the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral, and serves as President of Guardian Angels for Special Populations.
Additional activities will include the opportunity for family members to take a rubbing of their loved ones’ names on the Honor Wall; a Memorial Wreath presentation; a ceremonial fly-over by Lee County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit; and a motorcycle ride-in by the American Legion and Patriot Guard Riders. The Harney Point VFW 8463, American Legion Post 90 and Post 136, Vietnam Veterans of America Firebase Chapter 594, Combat Infantrymen’s Association, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Knights of Columbus Assembly 2115, Cape Coral Fire Department, and Cape Coral Police Department will also participate.
“Our Community Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony is a family event, with all generations represented,” Warren said. “With this, the ceremony is moving in many ways, depending on the connection of the attendee. The meaning remains the same — to honor all the men and women who ‘gave their last full measure of devotion,’ and who never had the chance to return home.
“All of us who have served in the military, especially those who served in wartime, have comrades and friends who did not return home that we think of every day. I want to ensure no one forgets the true meaning of Memorial Day and no one forgets that behind every name is the legacy of someone who gave their life so we might live in freedom in our great nation. As we honor those who did not return, we must also keep thoughts of the Gold Star families in our hearts and minds. It is the families left behind who bear the cost and suffer the stark reality of the price of freedom. Children, parents, siblings of these brave men and women are the ones who need our support.
So this year let’s all pause, honor, remember and memorialize the fallen, ensuring their legacies never die and truly make Memorial Day matter.”
Also in attendance will be Gold Star parents Bill and Margaret Eggers. Their son Cpt. Daniel W. Eggers was killed in action in Afghanistan in May 2004 on Memorial Day Weekend. He was a U.S. Army Green Beret.
For Warren and his wife Annette both being veterans, Memorial Day means so much as they operate a local business that employs veterans, and family members of veterans.
“We feel a much greater responsibility to honor the true heroes who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our amazing country, and to assist their families through difficult times,” Warren said. “To us, every day is Memorial Day. Let us honor these true heroes.”
For more information, visit www.CoralRidgeFuneralHome.com or Call (239) 283-0540.
Memorial Gardens
Memorial Gardens Funeral Home and Cemetery in Fort Myers will host its annual Memorial Day service.
The service honoring local and national heroes will take place in Fort Myers Memorial Gardens’ Field of Honor at 9:30 a.m. on May 26, at 1589 Colonial Blvd.
“We welcome the community to join us for this meaningful day of remembrance and reflection,” stated Memorial Gardens officials. “Your presence helps us honor those who will never be forgotten.”
For additional information, visit the Fort Myers Memorial Gardens website: fortmyersmemorial.com.
Brotherhood of Heroes USS Nimitz
A Memorial Day tradition now in its sixth year, a special tribute to those that served on the USS Nimitz will take place at a Cape Coral museum dedicated to preserving history and assisting local veterans.
The Brotherhood of Heroes Military Museum & Library on Monday will host an open-to-the-public event honoring those who perished on the ship as well as veterans who were on board the day the vessel saw a flight deck fire that took the lives of 14 sailors and injured 49.
The memorial, which falls on the anniversary of the incident, takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with local dignitaries present and a ship bell to be rung for each of the 14 who perished.
Cape veteran and business owner Chris Cammarota is a major organizer of the event, and was aboard the USS Nimitz the day of incident 42 years ago.
“All are welcome,” Cammarota said. “If you served or didn’t serve, I think you should do something for Memorial Day.”
The ceremony is to pay tribute to the events on May 26, 1981, when an accident on board the U.S.S. Nimitz took the lives of 14 men.
On that day in ’81, a Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler crashed on the flight deck of the USS Nimitz, an aircraft carrier named after World War II Pacific fleet commander Chester W. Nimitz. The crash, which occurred right off the coast of Jacksonville, and subsequent explosions and fire either destroyed or damaged 19 other aircrafts. The fire was fed by the steady flow of fuel from the punctured tank of a just-refueled aircraft. When the fire was believed to be out and orders were given to start the cleanup, a “sparrow” missile warhead detonated, killing two and injuring seven while rekindling the fire. It left a 12-inch by 24-inch wide by 3-inch-deep depression in the flight deck. Two other warheads detonated after the first explosion.
A group of individuals that served aboard the Nimitz will be in attendance that come from all over the country to reunite.
“These were your running mates when you were in your 20s, and now everyone in is their 60s,” Cammarota said. “Everybody has gone through life and has wives and grandchildren. It’s crazy because you knew these guys when you were so young. Where we were working on the flight deck, it was so dangerous. One of the most dangerous places on the planet to work is on the flight deck of a nuclear aircraft carrier, and we did it like, ‘Yeah, sure, why not, piece of cake.'”
Rep. Mike Giallombardo will be a speaker at the remembrance.
One of the largest warships in the world, the “super carrier” U.S.S. Nimitz is a multi-mission, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and part of Carrier Strike Group Eleven. The ship will be decommissioned next year.
There is a 12-foot replica of the ship and memorial to Cammarota’s best friend, Dennis Driscol, who died that day, inside the museum, which will be open for tours following the ceremony.
“Memorial Day, for those that served, they made the ultimate sacrifice,” Cammarota said. “That’s why you can go out and have a burger and hot dog, because of the people that didn’t come home. It’s the old cliche that freedom is not free.”
Cammarota said he enjoys having the youth come out and learn about the importance of history.
The Brotherhood Heroes Resource Center and Museum is at 4522 Del Prado Blvd. Parking is located behind the building. Refreshments will follow the ceremony.
For more information, visit www.thebrotherhoodofheroes.com.
American Legion
American Legion Post 90 in Cape Coral invites the public to join them for a Memorial Day “Everlasting” ceremony at noon on Monday, May 26. After the ceremony free hot dogs and hamburgers will be served. Attendees are asked to bring a dish to share. Entertainment by the “Bob and Bob Show” runs from 2 to 5 p.m.
Post 90 is at 1401 S.E. 47th St.
German American Social Club
The German-American Social Club of Cape Coral will host its 2025 Annual All-American Country BBQ on May 25 in celebration of Memorial Day Weekend.
The community is invited to join in this patriotic and family-friendly event dedicated to honoring veterans and active-duty service members, who will receive free admission with proper ID. Entry for the day is $5.
Gates open at noon, kicking off an afternoon full of food, fun, and heartfelt appreciation in the club’s 2-acre outdoor Biergarten. Live entertainment will feature two popular local bands, “Endless Summer” and “The Boots Band.”
American barbecue classics, cold drinks, and a welcoming, festive atmosphere, will make this an unforgettable day ending at 8 p.m.
At approximately 2:30, Cape Coral American Legion Post 90 Honor Guard will present a flag ceremony. Then, the Quilts of Valor Foundation will present handcrafted quilts to several of the club’s veterans in recognition of their service and sacrifice.
“We’re proud to open our doors to the entire community for this meaningful celebration,” said Wolf Pech, president of the German-American Social Club. “It’s a day to enjoy great food, great music, and above all, to come together in gratitude for the men and women who have served our country.”
For more information, visit www.gasc-capecoral.com.
The German-American Social Club of Cape Coral is at 2101 SW Pine Island Road.
Sun Splash Family Waterpark
SunSplash Family Waterpark will celebrate Memorial Day Weekend (May 24 – 26) by honoring all active and retired military personnel with free admission.
“Join us as we kick off summer with some DJ dance fun,” SunSplash officials state. “SunSplash Family Waterpark is proud to honor the service and sacrifice of our military heroes. Memorial Day Weekend is the perfect time to celebrate with family, friends, and the community as we kick off another unforgettable summer season.”
The park is open from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on May 24 and 25, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on May 26.
SunSplash is at 500 W Lake Kennedy Drive.