Friday, May. 02, 2008

KellerFest to honor troops on May 31

By TODD OVERMAN

Past and present military personnel will be honored in a big way during the Keller Chamber of Commerce’s annual KellerFest, May 30-June 1, at Keller Town Center.

A multitude of special events, collectively dubbed "Freedom Has A Price," is set for 4-10 p.m. May 31.

"With KellerFest, we strive to be fresh and different each year," chamber board president Joe Petersen said. "Just like the State Fair, you want it to be something new so people will come time and time again."

The nugget for the day’s events started when a fellow Hidden Lakes resident came home after a one-year deployment in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Residents put up a vinyl banner at the entrance to the subdivision, but Petersen said it wasn’t nearly enough to honor the man. After all, he had been away from his family and put his life on hold for that year, Petersen said.

Wanting to salute the troops with KellerFest, he mentioned it to a man in his Bible study, who suggested arranging a military flyover. Petersen said that at the time he thought it was impossible to do. But he later met with the chaplain at the Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth who walked him through the application process, which requires clearance from the FAA and Pentagon. Four U.S. Marine F-18 Hornets are slated to fly a mere 500 feet over Town Hall. An Apache helicopter, World War II-era B-25 plane and 10 A-10 Thunderbolt II Warthog jets are also planned to brush across the Keller sky. There will also be static displays of military aircraft and vehicles.

Petersen also met with the director of Veterans Initiatives for American Airlines. The company jumped onto the project and is sponsoring the appearance of four nationally known music groups that will perform on May 31.

Because of the multiple components coming together, some changes or cancellations are possible. But so far, the list of events and dignitaries slated to attend is packed. There are even surprises in store for attendees.

Dana Bowman, a double-amputee and member of the Golden Knights elite paratroopers, will skydive to the front of the stage and give a motivational speech. Six winners of the Medal of Honor, the highest military honor awarded, are scheduled to discuss their experiences. Author and Air Force Capt. Scott O’Grady will discuss his experiences after being shot down over Bosnia while enforcing a NATO no-fly zone. B.G. "Jug" Burkett, author of "Stolen Valor," will discuss his experiences. A group of re-enactors with authentic World War II uniforms like those worn by the famous flag-raisers at Iwo Jima will re-enact that iconic event.

An IBOT Mobility System, created by Segway inventor Dean Kamen, will be awarded to a Waco veteran who lost both legs while serving in Afghanistan. "It takes someone who’s not mobile and makes them almost 100 percent mobile," Petersen said of the IBOT. American Airlines is also sponsoring the giveaway of the device.

The U.S. Air Force donated use of a 737 to transport 60 injured soldiers from Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio to attend KellerFest for VIP treatment all day long.

"This will be one of the best active-duty, reservist and veteran recognition events to ever occur in the Metroplex," Petersen said. "It’s literally seven hours of shock and awe; it’s the best way to describe it."

Days after Memorial Day (which is May 26), the salute will be a chance to show past and present military personnel how important they are. "Even though we have people flying in from all over the country, the main goal is to recognize our local heroes," Petersen said. "It’s also for our kids to see in our eyes how important they are to us."

KellerFest, the chamber’s largest annual fundraiser, will also feature carnival rides, family friendly demonstrations, food, craft and vendor booths and live entertainment. Fireworks are scheduled for Friday night. On Sunday, the Battle of the Bands contest returns for the third time seeking local talent for a musical face-off, with the winner getting time in a recording studio.

Chamber president Susanne Johnson said the salute to the troops came together quickly after Petersen’s initial idea.

"All of a sudden, this entire program took on a life of its own," she said. "It’s an opportunity for families to come out together and have a really good time over the weekend. With the salute to the troops, it’s a time to teach the children that freedom has its price."

She said organizers expect at least 35,000 people to attend the three-day festival.

"KellerFest has just become a wonderful icon for the community, for the residents and businesses," Johnson said. "And we hope to continue that tradition."

With the magnitude of Saturday’s program, along with increased advertising over previous years, one issue could be accommodating the number of people who may attend KellerFest on that Saturday. But that’s a problem organizers would gladly like to solve.

"It’s for everybody," Petersen said. "This past Sunday, Susanne put her son on a plane to San Diego to head back over to Iraq. This conflict has touched all our lives. There is such support. Maybe not for what’s happening, but there’s so much support for the men who are making it happen."

Information: www.kellerfest.com.