Page 13 - Martin Downs Bulletin - November '20

Martin Downs, Page 13

BUsiNEss

NOVEMBER 2020 3168 sw MARtiN DOwNs BlVD. pAlM City, fl 34990
phONE: (772) 286-8121 fAx: (772) 286-3331
www.pAlMCityChAMBER.COM

A Message from the Executive Director

Missi Campbell

The Palm City Chamber of Commerce is privileged
to introduce our first Veterans Memorial Bridge 5K
on Saturday, November 14. We look forward to this
becoming an annual event to honor our veterans for
their service to our country. All veterans are welcome to
participate for free. Please contact the Palm City Chamber
of Commerce at 772-286-8121 or send an email to Nikki@
palmcitychamber.com so that we can get your shirt size
for your commemorative performance shirt.
A portion of the proceeds from our Veterans Memorial
Bridge 5K will be donated to Operation 300 and
southeast florida honor flight. I personally have been
on Honor Flight three times and each time has been life
changing. I was thrilled to be a guardian to three amazing
gentlemen that became like family to me after sharing
such a fabulous experience. Seymour Hoffman is my
98-year-old World War II veteran who lives in Boynton
Beach and still drives and plays 9 holes of golf twice
a week. Charlie McCarthy and Guy Macchia are both
veterans from the Korean War. Sadly, Charlie recently
passed away, but I stay in touch with his wife, Sally. Guy
lives on Hutchinson Island in a beachside condominium
with his wife, Anne. These dedicated Americans gave of
themselves to give us the freedoms and liberties that we
all experience every day.
Operation 300 hosts weekend-long adventure camps
for children who have lost their fathers as a result of
military service, pairing each child with a father-aged,
male mentor who spends the weekend doing things with
the children they might have done with their dad. I have
enjoyed assisting and attending events with the Vaughn/
Baldwin families in memory of their son and brother,
Aaron Vaughn. Special Operations Chief (SEAL) Aaron
Carson Vaughn was killed in action on August 6, 2011
when a chopper carrying 30 Americans was shot down in
the Tangi River Valley of Afghanistan while rushing into
battle. Aaron left behind 2 small children; a son who was
not quite two years old and a daughter who was only nine
weeks old on that fateful night.
These are just a few short stories of the local heroes in
our community. Please join us on Saturday, November
14 as we salute our local veterans. Seymour Hoffman, WWII veteran, Charlie McCarthy, Korean War veteran, and Guy Macchia, Korean War veteran with
Executive Director Missi Campbell

2020 palm City Chamber of Commerce

Board of Directors

President Ronnie Kirchman Kirchman Construction
President Elect Tyson Waters Fox, McCluskey, Bush & Robison
Vice President Christina Franco Hampton Inn and Suites
Treasurer David Bradford Edward Jones
Past President Joe Connelly Recovery Insurance Adjusters
Director Rex Sentell Palm City Animal Medical Center
Director Suzy Hutcheson Helping People Succeed
Director Don Pipes Atlantic Aviation
Director Anne-Marie Persaud iThinkFinancial
Director Barbara Essenwine Above and Beyond Landscaping
Director Rob McLaughlin Access 365 Urgent Care/Back in Action
Director Rick Hartman Hartman Real Estate
Director Patrick Gleason State Insurance
Ex-Officio Toby Overdorf State Representative
Ex-Officio Ed Ciampi Martin County Commission
Ex-Officio Michael DiTerlizzi Martin County School Board