METEOROLOGIST CANDACE CAMPOS. THIS IS NEWS 6 AT 4 GETTING RESULTS.
THIS IS NEWS 6 AT 4 GETTING
RESULTS. like no mouth has ever seen! >> JULIE: WE ARE A LITTLE MORE
THAN 2 WEEKS AWAY FROM A
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND FESTIVAL
COMING TO CENTRAL FLORIDA. THE
HEROES HONOR FESTIVAL BE AT
THE DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL
SPEEDWAY AT THE END OF THIS
MONTH AND SOME BIG COUNTRY
STARS WILL BE THERE. IN FACT,
THE EVENT IS BEING CALLED
COUNTRY FOR A CAUSE NEWS 6
INSIDER GUIDE. CRYSTAL MOYER
IS HERE NOW WITH THE DETAILS.
>> JULIE: LADIES, THIS
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, 10’S OF
THOUSANDS OF VETERANS WILL BE
HONORED AT DAYTONA
INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY DURING
THE HEROES HONOR FESTIVAL.
IT’S A TWO-DAY AND NADIA REAL
EVENT. I SPOKE TO THE
ORGANIZER WHO SAYS HE WANTS TO
GIVE BACK TO THE VETERANS WHO
SUPPORTED HIM AFTER RETURNING
FROM DEPLOYMENT.
>> THE VISION REALLY CAME INTO
MY HEART WHEN I CAME HOME FROM
IRAQ.
>> A VISION TO HONOR VETERANS
AND UNIQUE WAY. BEN PETERSON,
AN 8 YEAR ARMY VETERAN SAYS
MANY OF HIS BROTHERS AND
SISTERS DIDN’T FEEL WELCOME
AFTER RETURNING FROM IRAQ.
SOME NOT MAKING IT HOME ALIVE.
PROTESTERS BEGIN TO SHOW UP
AND IRAQ VETERANS FUNERALS.
>> BECAUSE THEY DISAGREED WITH
THE WAR IN IRAQ. AND SO YOU’VE
GOT TO IMAGINE, YOU KNOW,
FAMILIES ARE TRYING TO MOURN
THE DEATH OF THEIR SON OR
DAUGHTER AND PROTESTERS ARE
SHOWING UP.
>> PETERSON SAYS IT WAS A
GROUP OF VIETNAM VETERANS THAT
STARTED A MOVEMENT SHOWING UP
TO SUPPORT FAMILIES DURING
FUNERALS AND HOMECOMING
EVENTS. SOME EXPERIENCING THE
SAME NEGATIVE GESTURES WHEN
RETURNING FROM WAR. THE FIRST
THING THAT I SAW WAS OVER 100
VIETNAM VETERANS LINED UP
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER.
>> AMERICAN FLAG STANDING.
WATCH OVER MY HOW DID IT MAKE
YOU FEEL TO SEE THAT SUPPORT
FROM OTHER VETERANS WHO DIDN’T
GET THAT TYPE OF WELCOME
THEMSELVES.
>> YEAH, IT WAS. IT WAS PRETTY
POWERFUL. YOU KNOW, I KIND OF
STOOD THERE. DID A DOUBLE
TAKE. I KNEW I WAS LOOKING IN
THE EYES OF MEN THAT HAVE BEEN
SHAMED AND WE’VE HEARD
ATROCIOUS STORIES FROM
HUNDREDS OF VIETNAM VETERANS
OF THE WAY THEY WERE TREATED
FOR.
>> A GROUP OF 20 WAS
SURROUNDED BY PROTESTERS
SCREAMING AND CALLING US NAMES
LIKE BABY ONE PROTESTER SPIT
IN THE FACE OF THE MARINE
BESIDE ME.
>> I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND THEY
WERE SO ANGRY WITH THERE WAS A
LOT OF HOLLERING AND HIS
COUSIN US
>> ACCOUNTS DESCRIBED BY
SEVERAL VIETNAM VETERANS, AN
INTERVIEW SHARED BY PETERSON
AND THE ORGANIZATION HE
FOUNDED ENGAGE OR DESTINY. A
FAITH-BASED NONPROFIT
SUPPORTING ACTIVE MILITARY
PERSONNEL, VETERANS AND THEIR
FAMILIES. AFTER NEARLY 3 YEARS
OF PLANNING PETERSON’S VISION
IS COMING TO LIFE HOSTING ONE
OF THE LARGEST FESTIVALS TO
SUPPORT VIETNAM VETERANS AND
OTHER SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN IN
THE U.S. THE HEROES HONOR
FESTIVAL IS A TWO-DAY EVENT
HELD DURING MEMORIAL DAY
WEEKEND AT DAYTONA BEACH. THE
FESTIVAL INCLUDES PERFORMANCES
WITH COUNTRY MUSIC STARS TOBY
KEITH, JUSTIN MOORE AND CRAIG
MORGAN. THERE ARE SCHEDULED
FLYOVERS, A CANDLELIGHT VIGIL
AND DIVISION REUNIONS FOR
VETERANS. WE WANT THEM TO FEEL
HONORED, BUT ALSO I THINK
THERE’S GOING TO BE A SENSE OF
CLOSURE FOR A LOT OF VIETNAM
VETERANS.
>> THE HEROES HONOR FESTIVAL
TAKES PLACE MAY 27TH AND 28TH
OF THE DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL
SPEEDWAY. TICKETS ARE FREE FOR
VETERANS, ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY
AND THEIR SPOUSES. IF YOU WANT
TO GO TO SUPPORT OUR VETERANS,
YOU COULD PURCHASE A TICKET IS
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. IT’S $99.
PROCEEDS FROM TICKET SALES
WILL HELP SUPPORT THE
ORGANIZATION HOSTING THE
EVENT. IF YOU WANT TO SHOW
YOUR SUPPORT, BUT A BIT TIGHT
ON FUNDS. WE’VE GOT YOU
COVERED. WE ACTUALLY HAVE A
CONTEST GOING ON RIGHT NOW FOR
INSIDERS WERE GIVING AWAY 3
PAIRS OF TICKETS TO THE EVENT
YOU CAN ENTER ON CLICKORLANDO
DOT COM SLASH INSIDER THROUGH
MONDAY. LADIES, OK THAT MY
CRASHER SITE HIGH SO
INTERESTED IN GOING TO OH, MY
GOODNESS. WELL, I JUST YOU
KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK
YOU TO ALL THE VETERANS.
>> GINGER: WHO AND THE ONES
WHO SERVED THIS COUNTRY ARE
CURRENTLY SERVING. THEY JUST,
YOU KNOW, THEY’RE THE REASON
WE CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT. WHAT’S
REALLY COOL ABOUT THIS EVENT
IS THEY’RE BRINGING ALL THE
VETERANS TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY
THOSE VIETNAM VETERANS.
THEY’RE DOING REUNIONS. SO
THERE, YOU KNOW. IF YOU KN
THEY’RE DOING REUNIONS. SO
THERE, YOU KNOW. IF YOU KN like no mouth has ever seen! YOU KNOW WHAT GROUP YOU’RE IN
IT WHEN YOU WERE AT WAR,
VIETNAM, THEY CAN CONNECT YOU
WITH OTHER PEOPLE THAT WERE A
PART OF YOUR GROUP AND MAYBE
THIS COULD BE SOME TYPE OF
HEALING PROCESS FOR EVERYBODY.