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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | MAY 2026 9 The first Armed Forces Day was Saturday, May 20, 1950. While each of the services had its own birthday, the fact that they were a team with different specialties, was a driving interest in Congress and the Pentagon. For veterans who served their country, it was to be an opportunity to show off some of their equipment not often seen by civilians. For those no longer on active duty, it is now an opportunity to dust off an old uniform, see if it still fits, and join the throngs at these events. This year at Four Seasons, the activities start on Saturday, May 16 at 10 am with a parade of vintage vehicles circling the HOA. Line up starts at 9:30 am at the windmill on Four Seasons Circle (FSC). Parade route is up FSC to Plymouth Rock then up to the top of the HOA and back down Mesa Verde Park to The Summit and FSC to The Lodge. Vehicles will display "Thank you for your support" signs. This is especially for the families of the veterans who shared the separations, relocations, and worries of military life. For those who made a career of the military (20-30 years), seeing civilians clapping and cheering the parades is always a great "Thank You for Your Service." The afternoon event will be the dedication of two new tiles at the Veterans Park and the formal dedication of the Veterans Tree. At the base of this tree is a painted rock. As a result of the shutdowns during Covid, residents were not allowed to have events or use facilities to prevent spreading the disease. Several residents took to painting rocks honoring the military and placed them at the base of this tree. As the park has trees honoring each service, these rocks were relocated to the appropriate branch. The paint on these rocks faded over time and tiles for each veteran now Honor their service. On Saturday at 2 pm, a service will be conducted for two additions recently added to the monument. ~ Len Tavernetti, ltavernetti@hotmail.com Could your team tie a yellow ribbon around this tree on that day? ARMED FORCES DAY PARADE IN FOUR SEASONS

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