Yuma Military Appreciation Day is Saturday
Motorcyclists, canines and community members alike will converge in downtown Saturday for a celebration of the nation’s armed forces.
Presented by the Military Affairs Committee of the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce, Yuma’s Military Appreciation Day will be held on Main Street from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Opening ceremonies will commence at 10 a.m. and will be headed by Yuma Mayor Douglas J. Nicholls and YPG Commander Col. Ross Poppenberger. The event is free and open to the public.
The event draws about 1,000 people each year, said John Courtis, executive director of the Yuma County Chamber of Com- merce.
Offerings include exhibitions, vendor booths, displays, music and more. According to a Chamber of Commerce news release, over 35 vendors and associations will be present at the celebration.
Additionally, there will be performances by the Freedom Performing Arts Company, the String Ambassadors, the USMC K-9 Corps, Martial Arts teams, and the USMC Explosive Ordnance Detail Robot. Starting off the day will be performances by various color guards.
Attendees can also check out the YPG Military Art Display and Historical Diorama at the event. Information booths from multiple military support organizations and nonprofits will be on hand for browsing.
“We’ve got something for the whole family,” Courtis said. “The MCAS K9 group, what they can get these dogs to do is just amazing. Also, with the bomb unit, they show people how they go in and extract bombs with these cool robots. The shows will be a lot of fun.”
A free pancake breakfast will also be served for veterans by Crossroads Mission from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Spouses and friends can also grab some breakfast for a $3 donation.
Later in the day, a free burger barbecue lunch will be offered to active duty military with ID by the Yuma 50 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This event is sponsored by Yuma Regional Medical Center, APS, 1st Bank Yuma, the city of Yuma, AEA Federal Credit Union and the Yuma 50.