The events that Patriotic Productions are amazing and you don't want to miss any of them!
Including Pat Boone and Ann Margaret, the parade and the Memorial Day event at Memorial Park that the whole family should see.
Including Pat Boone and Ann Margaret, the parade and the Memorial Day event at Memorial Park that the whole family should see.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, It's Lucy Chapman and welcome back to Here's More
And I've got all kinds of stuff. Well I don't,
but we're going to get it all from Bill Williams
of Patriotic Productions. Bill, thanks again for joining me on
this podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
I'm happy to be here. Thank you, Lucy.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Let's talk first about Patriotic Productions because maybe people have
not heard of it. It's the big parade downtown and
Memorial Day. I'm sure you've heard of that. Well tell
us a little bit.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
That's one of the things we started. This is just
my wife, Yvonne and I so we formed Patriotic Productions,
so I don't know a dozen years ago, and people
know us a bit because we organized thirteen honor flights
that took thirty five hundred Nebraska veterans to DC so
they could see their memorial So that got a lot
(00:45):
of publicity. And that took three point two million dollars
to take everybody and do all that. And when we started,
it was a bit of a struggle until Dan Whitney
aka Larry the Cable Guy his wife called on Valentine's
Day of eight and said, what's the cost to send
(01:07):
the first planeload of World War two. FETs I said,
well the plane is seventy thousand dollars and she said done.
So that got a lot of publicity and it went
from there and then people all over the state helped,
and so yeah, that was a neat deal. We're also
the creators of Remembering Our Fallen, which are photos of
(01:27):
the fallen from War on Terror, obviously mostly Iraq and Afghanistan.
We have two national memorials that travel the country on
forty five foot trailers and there's thirty four twelve foot
tall towers containing photos of fifty five hundred of the fallen,
(01:48):
including towers for suicide and training accident. So it's the
only memorial like it in the country. Been everywhere from
New York City to Rose Parade in Pasadena. So that's
our mission with remembering our follows, that these men and
women won't be forgotten.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Do you find people that because I just had a
look of astonishment. Fifty five hundred people.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
In yeah, seven thousand died Iraq, Afghanistan. We have photos
for fifty five hundred. We are constantly contacting gold Star
families to send us photos. It was Yvon's idea to
ask for the military photo, but then what really gets
to people is we ask for their favorite personal pictures.
So now you have particularly with marine straight ahead on smiling,
(02:38):
but the inset photo is him holding his own baby
or him on a pony at the county fair when
he was seven. So that's what's brutal when you look
at it because of the horrible loss, and people don't
pay attention. It's not like World War Two where everybody
was involved on the home front with victory gardens and
(02:58):
scrap metal drives and with Iraq and Afghanistan. Unless you
had somebody serving at the time. Most folks didn't and
do not pay much attention. It's sad, it's brutal, but
you know, we do it for the families because they're
so concerned that their loved ones are going to be forgotten.
(03:18):
So that's why we continue. We have a Nebraska exhibit
that we that I take around and until COVID hit,
it was booked every week, not a week off since
January second of twenty eleven all over the state been
seen by thousands.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
That is remarkable.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Yeah. Right now it's at SWAB headquarters and so the
point is keep it moving so people see it.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
And there are people even here in your home state
or your home city that don't even know that some
of this stuff exists. And that's why I'm really super
happy to have you here. Let's talk about some of
the events that you've got coming up. You've got coming
up very soon on Friday night, the twenty fourth of May.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
This Friday night, the twenty third is out at the
Relevance Center something entirely different from what we've done before,
and that is Ann Margaret and Pat Boone. Now anybody,
most people under sixties say who is that? But anybody
who remembers these were two huge stars. I mean, it's
(04:22):
funny because Elvis was an opening act for Pat that
I didn't know at one time, did not know that.
And so what happened was one of our Honor Flight
volunteers got a good guy by the named Rick Lineman
six months ago he said, what do you think about
going after Pat Boone? Because Pat's musical director is a
(04:43):
guy that grew up in Woodbine, Iowa, and Rick knows him.
So he said, what do you think about going for
Pat Boone? So we did, got a hold the agent, etc.
Worked it all out. Then I got to thinking, and
I thought, and I thought, who would be a perfect
person to join? Wow, there's only one that's an Mark absolutely.
So got that all lined up. So we have a
(05:06):
private charter that will pick them up in California on
Friday morning, the twenty third. Then they'll arrive here in
the afternoon and then out to the Irrelevant for a
sound check and we do this event. So we're recreating
the Tonight Show set with Johnny Carson. No way. So
(05:27):
I've got a desk and I have the couch and
the chairs. So a couple of weeks ago, I drove
up to the Elkhorn Valley Museum in Norfolk. I've been
there before. They've got a Johnny Carson wing. So the
neat part is they have a replica of the multi
colored curtains, the drapes yes on the stage behind Johnny.
(05:52):
And so I meet the executive director and she says,
you know, I've got a second set. I said, really,
So I took him home and we've ironed them and
got a frame that'll hold them so when they sing
then they'll stand in front of that Carson.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
It's not going to come through them.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Yeah, not going to come They won't be able to
come through. But Scott Borhes is the MC and on
the desk, I've got a cigarette box like Johnny had.
I'll have three number two pencils that he used to
drum with, and I've got a found a guy in
Lincoln who has a nineteen sixties microphone as a prop.
(06:34):
So that'll be in front of Scott. It is gonna
be great.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
This is going to be an exciting.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
So there's going to be two songs, uh, Pat Scott
went out called where did America Go? And then the
neat one is from the movie state Fair, and that
came out in sixty two, where the last this is
the last time those two performed together nineteen sixty two.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Okay, so they're getting that together again.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
They're going to sing a song from state Fair. And
so this is gonna draw a lot of attention because
the first time, like I say, they've been together since
sixty two as far as performing.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
That was Kurt Russell's first movie, state Fair, and really
I think so no, wait is that? Wait? Is state Fair?
The one with Elvis is Elma?
Speaker 2 (07:19):
I don't think now. I always say.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
State Fair was the one with not Shirley Jones.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
I don't Oh boy, no, I don't think Sureley all right?
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Who was who was in state Fair?
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Those are the two? Those those are the stars? Now
who were the I might have to cut this out
because I don't want to knowing that I'm not stupid.
I have to look that up on Kurt Russell. I
wonder what that was.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
He played a little kid, and I thought it was
state Fair that was his first movie. But but I
could be wrong. Now they both both have worked with Elvis,
both Pat and Ann Martin absolutely so will they and
they're going to be sharing some stories.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
They will share some stories and Scott already has it
figured out. He doesn't want to read questions. You know
how Scott is right, so he wants to be more
impromptu and see how the flow goes. And he's already
interviewed Pat okay and he had Ann Margaret on a
week ago. Yes, was her eighty fourth birthday.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
That's right. I was here for that when you had
her on the phone.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Yeah, so it's hard to imagine, but she's she's quite
shy and so she's she'll both of them will be
out together on the on our Johnny Carson set and
we'll play the theme song when Scott comes out.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
So I'm sure he's just going to be eating though.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
I think he's really thrilled about this.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
That's a really cool opportunity for him to be able
to do that. But it doesn't end on Friday night
because on Saturday morning, that is the fifth annual Patriotic
Productions Parade.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Patriotic Parade, and we started it four years ago, and
the reason we started it was much of the national
media at that time was about what a horrible, hateful, mean,
racist country America. As well, the vast, vast majority of
us don't believe that that we're We generally, most of
(09:14):
us treat people the way we want to be treated.
We're the most diverse, most generous people in the world.
But our children, grandchildren get the message that they live
in a horrible country. So that's where we started it,
and now it draws ten thousand. We break it into
a history lesson everything from a banner with birth of
a Nation, oh Civil War, Western Expansion, World War One,
(09:38):
World War Two, Korea, Vietnam War on tear. Behind each
of those banners, our classic cars and wagons and free
enactors and costumed children from Betsy ross to astronauts and
I've never missed one. It's great. Yeah, we're thrilled with it.
And it goes through the Old Market. I kid about
(09:58):
the best part about the parade is it's in the
Old Market. The hardest part about the parade is in
the Old Market because yes, you know, you could pick
a road somewhere wide, open, wide and have a parade.
So it's a little tricky moving through the streets, etc.
But we're thrilled to be there and people are used
to it being there, so we're glad. It's we keep
(10:19):
doing it the way we planned it.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
And I know Omaha Police do a fantastic job of
keeping everything in line and making sure everybody is where
they need to be and traffic is flowing where it
needs to flow. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
So after that, then on Memorial Day at Memorial Park,
you've got a Memorial Day ceremony. Will you have gold
Star Families?
Speaker 2 (10:41):
There'll be gold Star families there. This is our first
year taking over that event, and we're going to redo
it top to bottom. We're going to put a ninety
foot tent down on the flat part near Dodge with
five hundred plus chairs, the big tree on the east
end of Memorial Park will be free pancakes from eight
(11:03):
to nine thirty. The idea is to attract more people,
particularly families. We think parents want their children to understand
what Decoration Day now called Memorial Day is all about.
But standing out in the sun listening to one politician
after another isn't a big attraction. So that's what we're
going to do. We have skydivers bringing in the colors
(11:24):
at a quarter to ten, ceremonies at ten, and there
will be no politicians. It'll be historical figures depicting the
founding of Decoration Day. So we have Abe Lincoln coming,
we have General Dwight D. Eisenhower will show up, and
it's going to be pretty pretty neat.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
You don't think you'll find any politicians trying to slip
in there in a costume.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
That's always the possibility, depends on who's running.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Right exactly.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Mayor's election will be will be over by then.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
So it's it's fun. It's very somber, of course, but
it's also fun to see the younger people get it.
They may not have heard some of the stories, or
they're not maybe really well versed in history, so they
see this and especially the characters that are dressed like
(12:18):
those historical figures. Do you see that just kind of
light up, something just lights up in them. That's like
I get it.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Because we encourage parents and particularly grandparents to get in
the game and say, you know, this is one Saturday morning.
You can put your soccer shoes away and come downtown,
stand on a curve, hold a flag and realize how
lucky you are. And speaking of flags on Monday for
Flanders Field of Flags is what we're creating. So one
point three million Americans have died in all the various wars.
(12:51):
So Woodman Life has donated thirteen hundred small flags and
we're going to plot those out. Six hundred representing the
six hundred who died in the Civil War, four hundred
for the four hundred thousand and World War two, etc.
So that's going to be a field of flags called
Flanders Field of Flags. So there'll be other things to
look at with re enactors, military equipment. We hope folks
(13:14):
will think about it. We also have twelve golf carts
that we use in the parade will be moved out
to Memorial Park so you don't have to walk down
the hill we'll pick you up and give you a ride.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Oh that's beautiful. That's going to be great too. It
doesn't end there. We're gonna take a little bit of
time off, come back on July fifth for a big concert. Yep,
tell me about that.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Your friend of mine, Pat Stibbs, and I are partnering
on bringing in Gary Lewis and the Playboys for Patriotic
Productions out at the Relevant Center and we're thrilled about that.
We had him about four years ago and he's great
to work with, and so we're thrilled that he's going
to come back. And those tickets are on sale at
(13:57):
Patriotic Productions our old Patriotic Productions dot org general admission
of twenty five seventy five if you want to go
to the meet and greet and get your picture taken
with Gary. But yeah, we're thrilled he's he's a perfect
choice for us, and so we're excited. That's on July fifth,
that starts at seven o'clock at the Relevant Center in Elkhorn, and.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
We'll go through those tickets again. But real quick, do
you do you run into people while you're out doing
some of these productions that say I didn't know you
guys did this? My son or my daughter has has
has passed away in war and I want to get connected.
What do I do? What would somebody do if they
wanted to get connected with pat.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Well, they can go to Patriotic Productions Dot org and
send us a note. Because we're on our national memorial.
We have fifty five hundred of the seven thousand who
have died in Iraq and Afghanistan War on Terror. So
Yvonne is constantly gathering that information to add people that
(15:04):
are qualified, so to speak. But people have over the
years have said to us, well did the government give
you all those pictures? Oh my goodness. Yvonne sat there
with a laptop for hours and hours because it's Colombo work.
If that young widow was widowed ten years ago, now
she's remarried on the other side of the country under
(15:24):
a different name. The work that it takes to track
her down to ask her permission and to provide the
two photos, the military and the personal, I mean, it's
quite an accomplishment on her part to do that. So
that's why if you ever get a chance to see
even the Nebraska one or the National and the National
(15:46):
by the way will be set up on Memorial Day
at Memorial Park. We have two versions. One will be
in Texas, but the other one we're going to set
up on that sidewalk on the south end of Memorial Park.
So it'll be an opportunity for people to see how
Dobbs are mc for our event. And so we invite
everybody to please think about bringing children, grandchildren down Memorial Day.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
And that's a free event, free event. The parade is
a free event, yep. But let's talk about the tickets
for the Pat Boon and Margaret. Do you have VIP
passes left?
Speaker 2 (16:19):
We have a few seats left. Those are two hundred
and fifty dollars to do a meet and greet. You
get your choice of a CD from Pat or a autographed
LP from Ann Margaret, and that's that's your departing gifts,
so to speak. And then the general mission are seventy five.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
And that's on May at the Relevant Center. Tickets at Patriotic.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Patriotic Productions dot org. It holds eight hundred and fifty
and we we we think it'll be a sellout. I
just can't imagine what the interest there.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Is in it. So I'm sure yeah, and then on
the Gary Lewis that's coming up on Life fifth at
the Relevant.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Center at the same place.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Tickets, same place, So get online, get your tickets to
these events, and then get out to that parade on
the Saturday afternoon on the twenty fourth, and definitely you're
going to want to see and Margaret and Pat Boon.
This is going to be amazing. And the Memorial Day
ceremony of course, yes, on that Monday's all good events.
I have to say, I appreciate what you do. I
(17:26):
really do. I see some of the work that you're
doing and the effect that it has not just on
the families but the community at large. It is just
amazing and I so appreciate this. No, you're very kind,
Thank you, Lucy, and thanks for joining me today.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Always a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Then I will see you at the parade. If I
don't see you at Pat Boon and a Margaret first.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
I'll see you over there by Hollywood Candy.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
I'll be there.
Hi, It's Lucy Chapman and welcome back to Here's More
And I've got all kinds of stuff. Well I don't,
but we're going to get it all from Bill Williams
of Patriotic Productions. Bill, thanks again for joining me on
this podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
I'm happy to be here. Thank you, Lucy.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Let's talk first about Patriotic Productions because maybe people have
not heard of it. It's the big parade downtown and
Memorial Day. I'm sure you've heard of that. Well tell
us a little bit.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
That's one of the things we started. This is just
my wife, Yvonne and I so we formed Patriotic Productions,
so I don't know a dozen years ago, and people
know us a bit because we organized thirteen honor flights
that took thirty five hundred Nebraska veterans to DC so
they could see their memorial So that got a lot
(00:45):
of publicity. And that took three point two million dollars
to take everybody and do all that. And when we started,
it was a bit of a struggle until Dan Whitney
aka Larry the Cable Guy his wife called on Valentine's
Day of eight and said, what's the cost to send
(01:07):
the first planeload of World War two. FETs I said,
well the plane is seventy thousand dollars and she said done.
So that got a lot of publicity and it went
from there and then people all over the state helped,
and so yeah, that was a neat deal. We're also
the creators of Remembering Our Fallen, which are photos of
(01:27):
the fallen from War on Terror, obviously mostly Iraq and Afghanistan.
We have two national memorials that travel the country on
forty five foot trailers and there's thirty four twelve foot
tall towers containing photos of fifty five hundred of the fallen,
(01:48):
including towers for suicide and training accident. So it's the
only memorial like it in the country. Been everywhere from
New York City to Rose Parade in Pasadena. So that's
our mission with remembering our follows, that these men and
women won't be forgotten.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Do you find people that because I just had a
look of astonishment. Fifty five hundred people.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
In yeah, seven thousand died Iraq, Afghanistan. We have photos
for fifty five hundred. We are constantly contacting gold Star
families to send us photos. It was Yvon's idea to
ask for the military photo, but then what really gets
to people is we ask for their favorite personal pictures.
So now you have particularly with marine straight ahead on smiling,
(02:38):
but the inset photo is him holding his own baby
or him on a pony at the county fair when
he was seven. So that's what's brutal when you look
at it because of the horrible loss, and people don't
pay attention. It's not like World War Two where everybody
was involved on the home front with victory gardens and
(02:58):
scrap metal drives and with Iraq and Afghanistan. Unless you
had somebody serving at the time. Most folks didn't and
do not pay much attention. It's sad, it's brutal, but
you know, we do it for the families because they're
so concerned that their loved ones are going to be forgotten.
(03:18):
So that's why we continue. We have a Nebraska exhibit
that we that I take around and until COVID hit,
it was booked every week, not a week off since
January second of twenty eleven all over the state been
seen by thousands.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
That is remarkable.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Yeah. Right now it's at SWAB headquarters and so the
point is keep it moving so people see it.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
And there are people even here in your home state
or your home city that don't even know that some
of this stuff exists. And that's why I'm really super
happy to have you here. Let's talk about some of
the events that you've got coming up. You've got coming
up very soon on Friday night, the twenty fourth of May.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
This Friday night, the twenty third is out at the
Relevance Center something entirely different from what we've done before,
and that is Ann Margaret and Pat Boone. Now anybody,
most people under sixties say who is that? But anybody
who remembers these were two huge stars. I mean, it's
(04:22):
funny because Elvis was an opening act for Pat that
I didn't know at one time, did not know that.
And so what happened was one of our Honor Flight
volunteers got a good guy by the named Rick Lineman
six months ago he said, what do you think about
going after Pat Boone? Because Pat's musical director is a
(04:43):
guy that grew up in Woodbine, Iowa, and Rick knows him.
So he said, what do you think about going for
Pat Boone? So we did, got a hold the agent, etc.
Worked it all out. Then I got to thinking, and
I thought, and I thought, who would be a perfect
person to join? Wow, there's only one that's an Mark absolutely.
So got that all lined up. So we have a
(05:06):
private charter that will pick them up in California on
Friday morning, the twenty third. Then they'll arrive here in
the afternoon and then out to the Irrelevant for a
sound check and we do this event. So we're recreating
the Tonight Show set with Johnny Carson. No way. So
(05:27):
I've got a desk and I have the couch and
the chairs. So a couple of weeks ago, I drove
up to the Elkhorn Valley Museum in Norfolk. I've been
there before. They've got a Johnny Carson wing. So the
neat part is they have a replica of the multi
colored curtains, the drapes yes on the stage behind Johnny.
(05:52):
And so I meet the executive director and she says,
you know, I've got a second set. I said, really,
So I took him home and we've ironed them and
got a frame that'll hold them so when they sing
then they'll stand in front of that Carson.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
It's not going to come through them.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
Yeah, not going to come They won't be able to
come through. But Scott Borhes is the MC and on
the desk, I've got a cigarette box like Johnny had.
I'll have three number two pencils that he used to
drum with, and I've got a found a guy in
Lincoln who has a nineteen sixties microphone as a prop.
(06:34):
So that'll be in front of Scott. It is gonna
be great.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
This is going to be an exciting.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
So there's going to be two songs, uh, Pat Scott
went out called where did America Go? And then the
neat one is from the movie state Fair, and that
came out in sixty two, where the last this is
the last time those two performed together nineteen sixty two.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
Okay, so they're getting that together again.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
They're going to sing a song from state Fair. And
so this is gonna draw a lot of attention because
the first time, like I say, they've been together since
sixty two as far as performing.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
That was Kurt Russell's first movie, state Fair, and really
I think so no, wait is that? Wait? Is state Fair?
The one with Elvis is Elma?
Speaker 2 (07:19):
I don't think now. I always say.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
State Fair was the one with not Shirley Jones.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
I don't Oh boy, no, I don't think Sureley all right?
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Who was who was in state Fair?
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Those are the two? Those those are the stars? Now
who were the I might have to cut this out
because I don't want to knowing that I'm not stupid.
I have to look that up on Kurt Russell. I
wonder what that was.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
He played a little kid, and I thought it was
state Fair that was his first movie. But but I
could be wrong. Now they both both have worked with Elvis,
both Pat and Ann Martin absolutely so will they and
they're going to be sharing some stories.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
They will share some stories and Scott already has it
figured out. He doesn't want to read questions. You know
how Scott is right, so he wants to be more
impromptu and see how the flow goes. And he's already
interviewed Pat okay and he had Ann Margaret on a
week ago. Yes, was her eighty fourth birthday.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
That's right. I was here for that when you had
her on the phone.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Yeah, so it's hard to imagine, but she's she's quite
shy and so she's she'll both of them will be
out together on the on our Johnny Carson set and
we'll play the theme song when Scott comes out.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
So I'm sure he's just going to be eating though.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
I think he's really thrilled about this.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
That's a really cool opportunity for him to be able
to do that. But it doesn't end on Friday night
because on Saturday morning, that is the fifth annual Patriotic
Productions Parade.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Patriotic Parade, and we started it four years ago, and
the reason we started it was much of the national
media at that time was about what a horrible, hateful, mean,
racist country America. As well, the vast, vast majority of
us don't believe that that we're We generally, most of
(09:14):
us treat people the way we want to be treated.
We're the most diverse, most generous people in the world.
But our children, grandchildren get the message that they live
in a horrible country. So that's where we started it,
and now it draws ten thousand. We break it into
a history lesson everything from a banner with birth of
a Nation, oh Civil War, Western Expansion, World War One,
(09:38):
World War Two, Korea, Vietnam War on tear. Behind each
of those banners, our classic cars and wagons and free
enactors and costumed children from Betsy ross to astronauts and
I've never missed one. It's great. Yeah, we're thrilled with it.
And it goes through the Old Market. I kid about
(09:58):
the best part about the parade is it's in the
Old Market. The hardest part about the parade is in
the Old Market because yes, you know, you could pick
a road somewhere wide, open, wide and have a parade.
So it's a little tricky moving through the streets, etc.
But we're thrilled to be there and people are used
to it being there, so we're glad. It's we keep
(10:19):
doing it the way we planned it.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
And I know Omaha Police do a fantastic job of
keeping everything in line and making sure everybody is where
they need to be and traffic is flowing where it
needs to flow. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
So after that, then on Memorial Day at Memorial Park,
you've got a Memorial Day ceremony. Will you have gold
Star Families?
Speaker 2 (10:41):
There'll be gold Star families there. This is our first
year taking over that event, and we're going to redo
it top to bottom. We're going to put a ninety
foot tent down on the flat part near Dodge with
five hundred plus chairs, the big tree on the east
end of Memorial Park will be free pancakes from eight
(11:03):
to nine thirty. The idea is to attract more people,
particularly families. We think parents want their children to understand
what Decoration Day now called Memorial Day is all about.
But standing out in the sun listening to one politician
after another isn't a big attraction. So that's what we're
going to do. We have skydivers bringing in the colors
(11:24):
at a quarter to ten, ceremonies at ten, and there
will be no politicians. It'll be historical figures depicting the
founding of Decoration Day. So we have Abe Lincoln coming,
we have General Dwight D. Eisenhower will show up, and
it's going to be pretty pretty neat.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
You don't think you'll find any politicians trying to slip
in there in a costume.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
That's always the possibility, depends on who's running.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Right exactly.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Mayor's election will be will be over by then.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
So it's it's fun. It's very somber, of course, but
it's also fun to see the younger people get it.
They may not have heard some of the stories, or
they're not maybe really well versed in history, so they
see this and especially the characters that are dressed like
(12:18):
those historical figures. Do you see that just kind of
light up, something just lights up in them. That's like
I get it.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Because we encourage parents and particularly grandparents to get in
the game and say, you know, this is one Saturday morning.
You can put your soccer shoes away and come downtown,
stand on a curve, hold a flag and realize how
lucky you are. And speaking of flags on Monday for
Flanders Field of Flags is what we're creating. So one
point three million Americans have died in all the various wars.
(12:51):
So Woodman Life has donated thirteen hundred small flags and
we're going to plot those out. Six hundred representing the
six hundred who died in the Civil War, four hundred
for the four hundred thousand and World War two, etc.
So that's going to be a field of flags called
Flanders Field of Flags. So there'll be other things to
look at with re enactors, military equipment. We hope folks
(13:14):
will think about it. We also have twelve golf carts
that we use in the parade will be moved out
to Memorial Park so you don't have to walk down
the hill we'll pick you up and give you a ride.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Oh that's beautiful. That's going to be great too. It
doesn't end there. We're gonna take a little bit of
time off, come back on July fifth for a big concert. Yep,
tell me about that.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Your friend of mine, Pat Stibbs, and I are partnering
on bringing in Gary Lewis and the Playboys for Patriotic
Productions out at the Relevant Center and we're thrilled about that.
We had him about four years ago and he's great
to work with, and so we're thrilled that he's going
to come back. And those tickets are on sale at
(13:57):
Patriotic Productions our old Patriotic Productions dot org general admission
of twenty five seventy five if you want to go
to the meet and greet and get your picture taken
with Gary. But yeah, we're thrilled he's he's a perfect
choice for us, and so we're excited. That's on July fifth,
that starts at seven o'clock at the Relevant Center in Elkhorn, and.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
We'll go through those tickets again. But real quick, do
you do you run into people while you're out doing
some of these productions that say I didn't know you
guys did this? My son or my daughter has has
has passed away in war and I want to get connected.
What do I do? What would somebody do if they
wanted to get connected with pat.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
Well, they can go to Patriotic Productions Dot org and
send us a note. Because we're on our national memorial.
We have fifty five hundred of the seven thousand who
have died in Iraq and Afghanistan War on Terror. So
Yvonne is constantly gathering that information to add people that
(15:04):
are qualified, so to speak. But people have over the
years have said to us, well did the government give
you all those pictures? Oh my goodness. Yvonne sat there
with a laptop for hours and hours because it's Colombo work.
If that young widow was widowed ten years ago, now
she's remarried on the other side of the country under
(15:24):
a different name. The work that it takes to track
her down to ask her permission and to provide the
two photos, the military and the personal, I mean, it's
quite an accomplishment on her part to do that. So
that's why if you ever get a chance to see
even the Nebraska one or the National and the National
(15:46):
by the way will be set up on Memorial Day
at Memorial Park. We have two versions. One will be
in Texas, but the other one we're going to set
up on that sidewalk on the south end of Memorial Park.
So it'll be an opportunity for people to see how
Dobbs are mc for our event. And so we invite
everybody to please think about bringing children, grandchildren down Memorial Day.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
And that's a free event, free event. The parade is
a free event, yep. But let's talk about the tickets
for the Pat Boon and Margaret. Do you have VIP
passes left?
Speaker 2 (16:19):
We have a few seats left. Those are two hundred
and fifty dollars to do a meet and greet. You
get your choice of a CD from Pat or a autographed
LP from Ann Margaret, and that's that's your departing gifts,
so to speak. And then the general mission are seventy five.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
And that's on May at the Relevant Center. Tickets at Patriotic.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Patriotic Productions dot org. It holds eight hundred and fifty
and we we we think it'll be a sellout. I
just can't imagine what the interest there.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Is in it. So I'm sure yeah, and then on
the Gary Lewis that's coming up on Life fifth at
the Relevant.
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Center at the same place.
Speaker 1 (17:03):
Tickets, same place, So get online, get your tickets to
these events, and then get out to that parade on
the Saturday afternoon on the twenty fourth, and definitely you're
going to want to see and Margaret and Pat Boon.
This is going to be amazing. And the Memorial Day
ceremony of course, yes, on that Monday's all good events.
I have to say, I appreciate what you do. I
(17:26):
really do. I see some of the work that you're
doing and the effect that it has not just on
the families but the community at large. It is just
amazing and I so appreciate this. No, you're very kind,
Thank you, Lucy, and thanks for joining me today.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Always a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Then I will see you at the parade. If I
don't see you at Pat Boon and a Margaret first.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
I'll see you over there by Hollywood Candy.
Speaker 1 (17:49):
I'll be there.
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