- December 20, 2024
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The Remembering Heroes festival featured a "Boots on the Ground" display around Central Park. Each boot had a tag with information about a fallen soldier. Photo by Sierra Williams
The festival had two traveling memorial walls displayed: one for the Vietnam War and one for the Iraq War. Photo by Sierra Williams
PCFD firefighter and EMT Jericho Taylor rings the bell as the names of the fallen were read aloud. Photo by Sierra Williams
Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin is escorted by Star Wars and Star Trek characters during the Remembering Heroes ceremony. Photo by Sierra WIlliams
The festival had two traveling memorial walls displayed: one for the Vietnam War and one for the Iraq War. Photo by Sierra Williams
The Matanzas High School Color Guard at the Remembering Heroes Fall Festival. From left to right: Arabella Allen, Joseph Sherman, Manuel Colmenares and Jacob Mclure. Photo by Sierra Williams
The festival had two traveling memorial walls displayed: one for the Vietnam War and one for the Iraq War. Photo by Sierra Williams
City Council member Cathy Heighter presents a plaque to Col. Lloyd Freckleton at the Remembering Heroes festival. Photo by Sierra Williams
PCFD Lt. Patrick Juliano payed the bagpipes at the end of the Remembering Heroes ceremony. Photo by Sierra Williams
Rolling Thunder — a local nonprofit organization raising awareness of soldiers who are still missing in action or were prisoners of war — gifted a POW and MIA flag to Palm Coast. Pictured: Rolling Thunder Vice President Maria Waida and her grandaughter Ava Ryan, board chairman Rich Malfitano, City Council member Cathy Heighter and club President De Danials. Photo by Sierra Williams
FCSO Cmdr. Phil Reynolds accepted a check to the FCSO Employee Assistance Trust for FCSO employees in crisis. Photo by Sierra Williams
City Council member Cathy Heighter gave Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin a quilt and an American flag in honor of his son, FBI special agent Daniel Alfin, who was killed in action two years ago. Photo by Sierra Williams
Council member Cathy Heighter gives veteran Larry White a quilt in honor of his service. Photo by Sierra Williams
Larry and Nikki White volunteered with the American Flagler Project at the Remembering Heroes festival. Photo by Sierra Williams
Michelle and Larry Freeman brought their 1923 Ford T-Bucket to the car show. Parked to the right of them, Joe Pavlowski brought his 1931 Ford Tudor. Photo by Sierra Williams
Frank Rampino with his Chevy 2006 SSR at the Remembering Heroes car show. Photo by Sierra Williams
Rich DiFabio with his 1931 Ford Model A Coupe. Photo by Sierra Williams
The Remembering Heroes festival included food trucks, bounce houses and a car show. Photo by Sierra Williams
Star Wars storm troopers and characters from the Mandalorian appeared at the Remembering Heroes festival. Photo by Sierra Williams
Palm Coast Fire Chief Kyle Berryhill (left) was one of several first responders and local veterans recognized at the Remembering Heroes Fall Festival. Those recognized received quilted blankets. Photo by Sierra Williams
PCFD Lt. Patrick Juliano (center) was one of several first responders and local veterans recognized at the Remembering Heroes Fall Festival. Photo by Sierra Williams
FCSO Cmdr. Phil Reynolds (center) was one of several first responders and local veterans recognized at the Remembering Heroes Fall Festival. Photo by Sierra Williams
Bill Mears with Guitars for Vets takes a photo with two characters from the TV show "The Mandalorian." Photo by Sierra Williams
Palm Coast honored first responders, veterans, fallen soldiers and Gold Star families at the Remembering Heroes Fall Festival on Oct. 29.
The festival had vendors, a car show, food trucks and several memorial displays honoring soldiers killed in the line of duty. The festival was held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Central Park in Town Center, with a ceremony honoring community heroes at 12 p.m.
Palm Coast City Council member Cathy Heighter, a Gold Star mother, co-founded Remembering Heroes in 2015. She said ceremonies and events like the festival is the
"It's emotional," Heighter said, "but it's also such an honor to be able to honor our heroes."
Among the displays included two traveling memorial walls, one for the Vietnam War and one for the Iraq War. Remembering Heroes also set up a a Boots on the Ground display around the part of the lake at Central Park. The Boots on the Ground is a visual representation of the soldiers killed in the line of duty.
Among those who received recognition for their service were local Gold Star families, Fire Chief Kyle Berryhill, Palm Coast Fire Department Lt. Patrick Juliano and Palm Coast Mayor David Alfin's son, Daniel Alfin, a Federal Bureau of Investigation special agent who was killed in 2021.
"This is my way of saying thank you," Heighter said. "Thank you for your service. Thank you for your sacrifice. And thank you for everything that you do for this community."
