| Pigeon
Forge, TN – July 2018 / Newsmaker Alert / Pigeon
Forge (Tennessee) will honor U.S. military veterans with its Veterans
Homecoming Parade on Saturday, Aug. 18. Tennessee Department of Veterans
Services Commissioner Many-Bears Grinder will serve as grand marshal of
the parade.
Grinder was appointed by
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam in 2011. Colonel Grinder is the first female
in the state to serve as Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Veterans
Services. The retired colonel received the Legion of Merit award and the
Bronze Star Medal for her more than 35 years of service in the Tennessee
Army National Guard prior to accepting her current appointment.
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The Veterans Homecoming
Parade starts at 9 a.m. and travels north on the Pigeon Forge Parkway between
Traffic Lights Eight and Five.
“Pigeon Forge feels privileged
to have the opportunity to recognize the many brave men and women who have
served our country,” said Leon Downey, executive director of the Pigeon
Forge Department of Tourism. “This parade is our way of welcoming U.S.
military veterans from near and far with open arms.”
In the parade, Grinder will
be joined by the Pigeon Forge city commissioners and Pigeon Forge City
Manager Earlene Teaster. The parade will once again be led by the Veterans
Military Honor of Pigeon Forge. More than 50 entries, including groups
from three additional states, will take part in the parade, including several
chapters from Vietnam Veterans of America. American Legion posts as well
as Disabled American Veterans will be represented as well.
Every August, Celebrate Freedom!™
offers discounts to active and veteran military personnel, police, firefighters,
paramedics and other first responders at participating Pigeon Forge businesses.
Present a valid form of identification at the Pigeon Forge Welcome Center
at Traffic Light Zero to receive the benefits. More information is available
here.
For information about all
aspects of Pigeon Forge and other city-sponsored events, visit MyPigeonForge.com
or call 800-251-9100.
About Pigeon Forge
Pigeon
Forge is located in East Tennessee, approximately 35 miles from Knoxville
and McGhee-Tyson Airport. Two-thirds of the nation’s population east of
the Mississippi River lives within a day’s drive, making it an easily accessible
family vacation destination. The city’s neighbor is Great Smoky Mountains
National Park, the most-visited national park in the U.S. It also is home
to Dolly Parton’s Dollywood theme park, Tennessee’s most-visited ticketed
attraction. More information about all aspects of Pigeon Forge are available
at MyPigeonForge.com or toll-free
at 800-251-9100.
Media contact:
Trish
McGee
for Pigeon Forge Department
of Tourism
615-327-1189 |
