Tag: Veteran’s Day

Client Wendell Falls Unveils Hero Home

Cherith AndesBlog, Case Studies, Real Estate PR, , , ,

We’re excited and honored when we have the opportunity to partner with incredible clients who give back to our community. And this is just such an occasion.

On Veterans Day 2020, client Wendell Falls gathered with its partners to honor a legacy – the legacy of SFC Elis A. Barreto who dedicated his life to his country, who served with courage and who made the ultimate sacrifice for his nation.

Wendell Falls, along with Garman Homes, the HBA of Raleigh-Wake County, the U.S. Veterans Corps and Operation: Coming Home, hosted a patriotic key ceremony to unveil a “Hero Home” to the family of SFC Barreto, who died in combat in September 2019. The first in Wendell, this Hero Home was given to Legna, SFC Barreto’s wife, and her children as a gift to honor his service. Fresh Paint by Garman, one of Wendell Falls’ award-winning builders, constructed the house on a homesite donated by Newland.

Called a Hero Home Finale, the key ceremony celebrated the life and accomplishments of SFC Barreto. The event featured patriotic songs from the Bombshells along with heart-felt comments from government officials, Garman, Newland, the HBA … and finally Legna herself.

Partners unveiled exciting gifts for Legna and her family, such as technology from Lenovo, a golf cart from Garman (for the Wendell Falls culture!), a refurbished car and even a special military-themed room for Legna’s two boys.

We were thrilled to share this heart-warming story with our community and the media. If you want to get a glimpse of the day in action, check out one of these stories!

Thank you to all who have served our country. We are deeply grateful for your investment and sacrifice.

*All photography credited to Bekah Morton Photography.

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More Monday: Team Spirit Aboard the USS Carl Vinson

Josephine ButlerBlog, Marketing, , , , , , 5 Comments on More Monday: Team Spirit Aboard the USS Carl Vinson

Photo by Andrew Dye, photographer/videographer for reesenews.org

In an exciting season opener and a fitting tribute to veterans across the country, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels took on the Michigan State Spartans aboard the USS Carl Vinson, an active aircraft carrier that seven months before was the final resting place of Osama bin Laden before his body was buried at sea.

And who was the brains behind this carefully executed and wildly successful event? Let’s start with Michigan State’s athletic director, Mark Hollis, who dreamed up the event. After roping in Mike Whalen and his team at Morale Entertainment, an event production agency established as a “labor of love and respect to our fighting men and women,” it became a reality. And a wonderful reality, at that.

You wouldn’t believe the logistical undertaking this event truly was. From coordinating dates with the United States Navy (remember, the Vinson is an active aircraft carrier — it’s needed at sea) to figuring out how to pay for the event (advertising, grants and a sponsorship from Quicken Loans did the trick), it took a lot of negotiating between Whalen’s team and the United States Navy to pull off this whole thing.

So why do we, at Clairemont, get so excited when we talk about this event? Aside from it being a logistical challenge and my love for all things Tar Heels and Roy Williams and college basketball, this event never lost sight of the most important team there: our military.

Hosted on Veteran’s Day — 11/11/11 — this event was destined to be extra special for all of the active servicemen and servicewomen aboard. For starters, it was a chance to kick back and relax and enjoy a college basketball game (not to mention it was between two great teams — never forget that fateful night on April 6, 2009). It was also a chance to interact with some of college basketball’s former greats like Magic Johnson, James Worthy and one of my personal favorites, Tyler Hansbrough. Even President Barack Obama was on board for this — he couldn’t miss an epic rematch between the Tar Heels and the Spartans, but he also couldn’t miss being there to support our military.

My favorite quote of the evening came from Camp Pendleton Staff Sgt. Darian Washington in his interview with Julie Watson of the Associated Press. He said: “It’s a bittersweet moment for me. It shows they appreciate us. We haven’t been forgotten. It means a lot.”

How proud we are to have witnessed such a moving event — the celebration of one of America’s favorite sports with America’s favorite team — the men and women who serve and protect this country each and every day.

Now we want to hear from you. What were some of your favorite highlights from the event? What do you think about the PR/marketing efforts and messaging behind all of this? Drop us a line in the comment section below.

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