Clay Veterans Center’s ribbon-cutting on Saturday

MIDDLEBURG – The Clay Veterans Center will celebrate a Ribbon Cutting and Open House on Saturday, June 21, at 10 a.m. at 2497-1 County Road 220 (behind Dr. Inlet Veterinary Clinic).

The priority for the location is the "Open Door" Program, the "Veterans Vehicle Repair Assistance" Program and connecting Veterans through "Online" platforms for veterans, active duty and family members.

The Center is there to help navigate through the maze of websites, forms and phone numbers, just trying to find the correct answer.

Clay Veterans Center is your front door to real help. Let it help you find the answers you’re looking for, including benefits and resources, community activities, and connections.

The Center relies on volunteers, representatives, and donations to be successful.  Please let us know if you’re interested in supporting the mission to improve the welfare of Clay County Veterans and their Family members.

For more information, call (904) 375-1354 or (904) 658-0105 or visit info@ClayVeterans.com or ClayVeterans.com.

Free youth football camp, basketball skills challenge at OPAA

ORANGE PARK – The second annual Orange Park Community Sports Day on June 28 will not only offer a free Youth Football Camp and Basketball Skills Challenge, but it will also honor longtime Clay Today Sports Editor Randy Lefko.

The event at the Orange Park Athletic Association fields, 1086 Fromhart St., supports the Edward and Annie Lee Keyes Foundation. This not-for-profit organization enhances the quality of life for youth and families in Orange Park and the greater North Florida area.

The football camp is for children 8-14. Registration is at 7:30 a.m., with activities running from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Former professional and collegiate athletes will conduct drills. Participants will need to provide their cleats and water, but they aren’t required. To reserve a spot, visit Eventbrite.com/e/2^nd-annual-orange-park-community-sports-football-camp-basketball-skills-tickets.

Basketball is open to players of all ages and will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. It will include a 3-point shootout, an H-O-R-S-E competition and an obstacle course challenge. Pre-registration is not required.

Lefko has worked with Clay Today newspaper since 2011.

Fla. Rep. Judson Sapp, who represents southern Clay County, was selected as the Legislator of the Year by the Fraternal Order of Police.

FOP taps Rep. Judson Sapp as its Legislator of the Year

CLAY COUNTY – Florida Rep. Judson Sapp (R–District 20) was honored on June 11 as Legislator of the Year by the Florida Fraternal Order of Police in recognition of his strong commitment to law enforcement officers and their families.

The award was significant as it came after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the “Deputy Andy Lahera Act,” a landmark piece of legislation sponsored by Sapp, whose district includes portions of Southern Clay County.

The newly signed law ensures that law enforcement, correctional, and correctional probation officers who sustain catastrophic injuries while on duty or in official training will receive fully paid health insurance coverage, not only for themselves, but also for their spouses and dependent children. It provides more coverage than the previous statute that such covered injuries had to result from fresh pursuit, an emergency, or an unlawful act — acknowledging that no law enforcement officer should be denied coverage due to technicality.

The law is named in honor of Deputy Andy Lahera, a Citrus County deputy who was catastrophically injured while directing traffic after a high school graduation.

Rotary clubs to honor heroes with flags, coins at Town Hall

CLAY COUNTY – The Rotary Clubs of Orange Park Noon u Sunrise, Green Cove Springs and Fleming Island are accepting donations to honor heroes with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Fire Rescue, Orange Park and Green Cove Springs Police Departments, Florida Army National Guard, Wounded Warrior Project and others by selling flags, coins and mentions at a special ceremony on Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. at Orange Park Town Hall.

To honor a veteran, current member of the military or a first responder, visit oprotarysunrise.com and click on flags-for-heroes. With all donations, your hero’s name(s) will be mentioned at the event. The costs are:

• Hero, $50 – one seven-foot flag displayed between Sept. 8-19 at Town Square with the hero’s name displayed on it and a custom-designed coin for the hero.

• Friend, $100 – As many as two flags and two coins.

• Bronze, $250 – As many as four flags and four coins.

• Silver, $500 – As many as six flags, six coins and a business logo.

• Gold, $1,000 – As many as eight flags, eight coins and a business logo.

• Platinum, $2000 – As many as 10 flags, 10 coins, business logo and opportunity to display a table at the ceremony.

Trace Adkins will be at the Thrasher-Horne Center on Oct. 17.

Trace Adkins’ ‘What Color’s Your Wild’ tour headed to Thrasher-Horne

ORANGE PARK – In his storied career in Country music, Trace Adkins has sold more than 11 million albums, charted 40 singles on Billboard’s Country Airplay Chart, earned numerous awards, multiple GRAMMY nominations and garnered more than two billion streams.

A Grand Ole Opry member for two decades, the Louisiana native is known for his dynamic baritone, fiery live performance and notable roles as an actor in film, charity and TV. That talent will be at the Thrasher-Horne Center for his “What Color’s Your Wild” tour stop on Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets, which start at $59, are available at the box office or thcenter.org.

Since his 1996 breakout debut “Dreamin’ Out Loud” album delivered smashes “Every Light In The House,” which hit Top 5 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and No. 1 “This Ain’t (No Thinkin’ Thing),” Adkins has pioneered a mix of classic Country minded traditionalism and adventurous, good-natured showmanship, breaking open new avenues in modern Country through fun-filled hits like “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” and “Hillbilly Bone” with Blake Shelton.