You Asked For Social Connection, We're Giving You Three Events in Three Weeks.
We prefer bringing the community together over posting on social media for Military Appreciation Month.
Vietnam Veterans Plaza, Lower Manhattan, at the 2023 Memorial Ruck March. Photo by Adrian Childress.
May is Military Appreciation Month for our shared community here in New York City, and while our advocates kick off their Congressional Candidate Roundtables this afternoon, we recognize your growing calls for more in-person social engagements. Instead of publishing honorary social media posts, we’re giving you three opportunities to build community over the next three weeks:
Military Appreciation Night with Brooklyn Football Club
Saturday, May 9 | Gates: 5:30 PM
Maimonides Park, Brooklyn
Cost: $22-34 per person (seating dependent)
We’re partnering with the Brooklyn Football Club for an evening at Maimonides Park, and we want to see each of you fill the stands. This event will feature military vehicle displays and a Color Guard presentation before the kickoff for families to enjoy. The National Anthem will be performed by Gerard Placide, one of our distinguished advocates and a vocalist who has performed for world leaders and several U.S. Presidents. While Gerard is widely recognized for his talent, he is also a key figure in our policy and advocacy efforts.
Note: For every ticket purchased through the official link, $5 is donated to support our ongoing advocacy and community engagement initiatives.
Our Stories, Our Truth: Honoring AAPI Veterans
Friday, May 15 | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Civic Hall, Manhattan
Cost: $5 per person
May is also AAPI Heritage Month, and we’re partnering with Minority Vets and the Chamberlain Network to highlight the contributions of NYC’s AAPI veterans.
The evening will feature a panel of guest speakers including Joseph Zoleta, one of our local veteran leaders and an advocate deeply involved in community engagement. Joseph is the CEO and founder of The Black 6 Project, an organization dedicated to humanitarian aid in the Philippines and other disaster-affected regions. He also serves as an NYU EMS first responder, bringing a wealth of experience in service and leadership to the discussion.
This event at Civic Hall focuses on visibility and professional networking, providing a platform to share perspectives and foster meaningful connections across our diverse community.
Annual Memorial Ruck March
Sunday, May 24 | 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn
Cost: Free
Memorial Weekend is a time of reflection, a moment to honor those who gave their lives in service. Building Five Borough Veterans is about creating tangible ways for our community to stay connected to the city and to each other, while we work to pass the legislation needed to ensure our shared success. This year, we are happy to host our first Memorial Ruck March to not only build community, but to welcome the public to join us and learn about our culture and the history of NYC’s military memorials.
On May 24th at noon, we’ll be marching from the Brooklyn War Memorial, across the Brooklyn Bridge, around Battery Park and finishing at Rockefeller Park where we can refresh and relax. Instead of carrying 35 lbs of dead weight, We’d like you to fill your packs with non-perishable items to be donated to our homeless neighbors once the march is over (if able to do so of course). If you are rucking or simply joining us to learn, we invite you to help us honor the fallen by serving the city they called home.
These events represent a shared opportunity to bring the community together, moving beyond individual backgrounds & ideologies to focus on a common purpose: honoring our history and our continued commitment to our communities.
We hope to see you participating with us throughout the month.
In Service,
The Five Borough Veterans Team
