CAMP BLANDING – The Board of County Commissioners will join Camp Blanding for one of the largest Veteran’s Day celebrations in Northeast Florida.

The event will start at 11 a.m. at the Camp Blanding Museum, and it will include a short program, followed by an afternoon of food, games and tours to tell the history of the base.

The fort, which serves as a joint training center for the Florida National Guard, recognized Veteran’s Day last year by giving away T-shirts to veterans and serving hot dogs and hamburgers at World War II prices.

This year’s program will include comments from Garrison Commander, Lt. Colonel Jason Hunt in front of the Camp Blanding Museum Building. The menu will feature cheap prices and children will be able to play in a bounce house.

Commissioner and former U.S. Navy pilot Jim Renninger asked if the county could host a Veteran’s Day event. County Manager Howard Wanamaker, the former base commander at NAS-Jax, suggested the commission join the Camp Blanding effort.

That plan was quickly adopted.

The Camp Blanding event was the inspiration of Matt Johnson, the current Mayor of Green Cove Springs and the former Commanding Officer of Camp Blanding.

Wanamaker and veteran David King both worked the grill last year, and both said they will be flipping burgers and hot dogs again this year.

“Last year, we had enough food to feed 200 people,” King said. “The night before, I said we didn’t have enough, so we went out and got more food. We ended up serving about 400 – and we ran out of hamburgers.”

Every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces was represented and many brought their children since it is a school holiday. 

Concessions again will be offered at World War II prices. That means hot dogs for a dime and cheeseburgers for a quarter. And like a year ago, a limited number of T-shirts will be given to veterans.

Wanamaker said Susan Carter of the Clay Chamber and her husband, John Hess, will bring their “Mack-Daddy” grill to help keep up with the demands for food.

“They’re bringing that out, so they’re also part of the crew, cooking and wrapping and serving,” he said.

King said he will on base at 7 a.m. to lite get the grills.

For more information call the museum at (904) 682-3165.