The City of Miami Beach, in partnership with VFW Post 3559 and powered by the Badger platform, is hosting a high-tech, letter-writing campaign featuring electronic messages and videos of gratitude that will be projected on the iconic Betsy Orb each evening from Nov. 7-10 ahead of Veterans Day. Thoug h anyone can participate, many of the messages are expected to come from local schoolchildren and families. “The freedoms we enjoy as Americans were secured through the extraordinary courage, sacrifice and selflessness of the men and women who answered the call to serve,” said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner. “As we celebrate 250 years of American independence, this initiative is a powerful reminder that our freedom is not free, and those who defend it are owed a debt of gratitude that can never truly be repaid.” The four-day Letters of Gratitude event will kick off with a sunset bugler playing “Retreat” on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 5:30 p.m. outside the main entrance to The Betsy Hotel, 1440 Ocean Drive. The bugle call will be broadcast simultaneously in two other sections of the city — Lincoln Road and Pennsylvania Avenue as well as 73 Street and Ocean Terrace in North Beach. A recording of “Retreat” will be replayed at 5:30 p.m. during the subsequent evenings in all three locations. The projections will be displayed on Nov. 7 from 6:40 p.m. to 11 p.m. on The Betsy Orb, a spherical skybridge and architectural landmark that connects the Betsy to its sister property, the former Carlton Hotel in South Beach. On subsequent evenings, the Orb projections will run from 6-11 p.m. The public is also invited to attend two screenings of a short documentary and multimedia film: “Nothing Can Be Done, But Something Can Be Said” inside The Betsy on Nov. 7 at 7 and 8 p.m. The documentary was created in partnership with The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus. The title of the film was based on a poem by three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, W.W. II veteran and soldier-poet Hyam Plutzik, whose life and legacy inspire the hotel’s commitment to arts, culture and community. The film uses poetry and World War II letters to reflect on wartime sacrifice, family and remembrance. During an invitation-only ceremony inside the Betsy on Nov. 7, U.S. Air Force Col. Wesley Hales of U.S. Southern Command will present Miami Beach Vietnam War veteran USAF Sgt. James E. Anderson with a new set of medals to replace ones that were lost during the sergeant’s return trip home from Da Nang, Vietnam to his previous residence in Philadelphia at the conclusion of his service some 50 years ago. While serving, the airman suffered debilitating injuries that compromised his lung function. This past July, Anderson was awarded 100% disability through the combined efforts of the Bruce W. Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center VA Days and Miami Beach VFW Post 3559. Media interested in attending this portion should confirm with the city at [email protected]. “Miracles happen when a band of brothers and sisters come together to help their own,” said Retired Army Lt. Col Jackie Tam, commander of VFW post 3559. “It will be an emotional moment for the sergeant to finally receive the honors he has rightfully earned after so many years of waiting. We are proud to stand by him and help bring this long-awaited chapter of his life to a meaningful conclusion.” The Letters of Gratitude initiative is powered by Badger, a platform developed by Miami Beach Marine veteran Alex Kruger-Dobrota, who recalls the uplifting experience of receiving letters from the K-8 school where his mother was principal during his tour of duty in Afghanistan. “Through Badger, a handwritten note or short video can travel from anywhere to a veteran who needs to hear it. Every message becomes part of a public salute that starts in Miami Beach and keeps growing,” Kruger-Dobrota said. “I created Badger to connect people through shared experiences, and Letters of Gratitude brings that purpose to life. Our goal is to make this an annual national program, and we’re already expanding its reach through the VFW Department of Florida, which is hosting the live feed for posts across the state and its 54,000 combat veteran members.” In addition to the Letters of Gratitude event, the city will host the 18th annual Veterans Day parade and celebration on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 11:11 a.m. The largest parade of the day in South Florida takes route on Ocean Drive from 5 to 15 streets, featuring veteran and military groups, marching bands, musical and dance performances, local businesses and community organizations. To view the live Letters of Gratitude feed or upload a short gratitude video or image of a handwritten letter, visit miamibeachfl.gov/america250 between Nov. 2-10. The post Miami Beach to Honor Veterans with High-Tech Letter Campaign appeared first on Miami’s Community News. ...read more read less