As part of Welcome America, the City of Philadelphia VetFest will be giving veterans the spotlight.
By Denise Clay-Murray
By the time you read this, Philadelphia will be in the throes of Welcome America, the city’s annual 14-day celebration of the Fourth of July and everything that goes with it, will be in full swing.
Welcome America started the festivities with a Juneteenth Block Party on, you guessed it, Juneteenth at the African American Museum in Philadelphia. This will be followed by movies, concerts, fireworks, block parties and all sorts of other festivities, culminating with a fireworks display and concert on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway featuring Philadelphia’s own Jasmine Sullivan and hip-hop legend LL Cool J.
But while there will be lots of entertainment, pomp and circumstance, this year’s Welcome America also includes a celebration of the people who have spent a part of their lives defending America.
On Tuesday, VetFest, a celebration of the nation’s veterans and those who help them, will be held at City Hall. Co-sponsored by Philadelphia’s Office of Veterans Affairs and Council President Kenyatta Johnson, VetFest celebrates veterans while connecting them with the services they need.
While this year is the first that the VetFest has partnered with Welcome America, this isn’t the first time it’s been held, said Gregory Wright, director of the Office of Veterans Affairs. But thanks to the connection that Council President Johnson brokered with Welcome America, they’ll be able to do more for veterans, Wright said.
“This year is literally going to be one of our biggest festivals,” he said. “With Wawa Welcome America, helping to sponsor and also bring sponsorship through American Airlines, we are able to bring so many more resources to our veterans. This year, we have over 40 different vendors who will be able to offer housing, Legal Aid, employment and healthcare support.”
In addition to providing services to veterans, VetFest honors the city’s veterans — each Council member selects a veteran to honor — and non-profit organizations that provide services to veterans.
The organizations being honored this year are AHARI, which stands for A Home Is A Right, and the Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation (OSJL). AHARI was founded by Stephanie Booker in 2011 and helps veterans and their families that are homeless or at risk for homelessness get the support they need to find housing and become self-sufficient. OSJL is a privately-owned discount retail chain with stores in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Last year, the Charitable Foundation’s effort for homeless veterans came to City Hall for the “Buckets for Vets” program and to donate children’s bicycles.
In addition to honoring veterans, VetFest, which is being hosted by radio personality Mina SayWhat, will feature entertainment from Russell Thompson and the New Stylistics, Dan Harrison, Gooch and Brianna Nelson, Denise King and DJ Queen Yaszy. There will also be refreshments and Wawa beverage giveaways, which considering how hot it’s expected to be next week is a good thing.
VetFest will be held from 12p.m.-3p.m. on Tuesday at City Hall. If you know a veteran or are a veteran, stop by.
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