The Utica Comets will honor the men and women who have served, and continue to serve, our country with Military Appreciation Night at the club’s game against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Friday, Nov. 11.
The Comets will don the stars and stripes with special jerseys that will be unveiled tomorrow on the Comets social media channels. The game-worn jerseys will be sold during a live auction immediately following the game. All proceeds from the jersey auction will be collected by the Save of the Day Foundation and donated to the Central New York Veteran’s Outreach Center.
The Feed Our Vets program, sponsored by Express Employment and Sitrin Healthcare, will have a refurbished military truck stationed across from the Labatt Blue entrance. Fans are encouraged to bring canned goods and non-perishable food items to donate to Feed Our Vets program.
Prior to the game, a ceremony will take place inside the Labatt Blue entrance at 4 p.m. to unveil the updated memorial mural to include the Vietnam and the Korean War. The ceremony will be open to the public.
The presentation of colors will be performed by the 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry of the New York Army National Guard. Mrs. Alessandra Miller, an Army Spouse, will sing the National Anthem. In addition to presenting the colors, the 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry of the New York National Guard will have a vehicle and weapons display set up outside of the Labatt Blue entrance.
Representatives from every major conflict dating back to World War II will be on hand for the ceremonial puck drop prior to the game getting underway.
The Rob Esche “Save of the Day” Foundation, Inc. is committed to promoting the needs of youth throughout the Mohawk Valley and offering contributions to other 501c3 organizations that have been authorized by the board of directors to support. The Foundation is devoted to raising funds annually through special events, a partnership with the Utica Comets organization and direct fundraising activities to benefit the Mohawk Valley community.
The Utica Center for Development INC. (UCD)/ Central New York Veterans Outreach Center(CNYVOC) was formed to provide and conduct charitable, educational, social service, and housing services for those in need. The UCD/CNYVOC came to be developed by Vincent Scalise, an Iraqi/Afghanistan War Veteran who realized there was a lack of services for Veterans in Upstate New York.
