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](http://www.indianacarey.com)
Fans Encouraged to Honor Military Heroes at November 10 Game **
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Colts will take time to honor military personnel and their families during the month of November as a part of the NFL's "Salute to Service" campaign. The team's efforts will kick off at their game vs. the Rams on Sunday, November 10, 2013.
For a second year, the Colts will host their Holiday Mail for our Heroes programwith the help of American Red Cross to share well wishes with active-duty military serving around the world. In addition, the United States Air Force and Wish for Our Heroes will have interactive military-themed displays and an obstacle course set up in American Family Insurance Touchdown Town.
In partnership with WISH-TV, the team will offer camouflage ribbons to fans entering the game. Colts fans will also have the opportunity to donate to the SACKing Hunger Food Drive, presented by Meijer, to help Gleaners Food Bank fill local food pantries throughout Indiana. During pre-game activities, the Colts and Wilson Kehoe Winningham will honor 175 family members of fallen military heroes as 12th Man Fans of the Game, and 150 individuals representing various branches of the military will hold a full-field flag during the national anthem. Details on each of these events and programs are included below. For more information, fans may also visit www.colts.com/salute.
Before and during the game, The Indiana Department of The American Legion in conjunction with the Indianapolis Colts will be collecting used and old flags for retirement purposes. Anyone wishing to donate their out of service American Flags can meet with the Legionnaires, who will be located at the American Family Insurance Touchdown Town tailgate area prior to the game on South Street as well as their Service Table located inside the Northwest Corner of the Lucas Oil Stadium. The collected American Flags will respectfully retired in a ceremony later in the year.
In addition, the team will continue their efforts by celebratingVeterans Daywith Harrison College*on November 11 at Indianapolis Metropolitan High School and Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center. *
"Salute to Service" Game, November 10, 2013
- Holiday Mail for Our Heroes, supported by American Red Cross
- Time: 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- Locations:
- Outside in the American Family Insurance Touchdown Town: 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
- Inside Lucas Oil Stadium from 11:00 a.m. until the end of halftime (while supplies last), in the Main Concourse outside of sections 116, 132, 143 and Lucas Oil Plaza.
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- United States Air Force Interactive
- Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Location: American Family Insurance Touchdown Town (north end of Lucas Oil Stadium)
- Wish for our Heroes Obstacle Course
- Time: 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Location: American Family Insurance Touchdown Town (north end of Lucas Oil Stadium)
- Camouflage Ribbon Passout,presented by WISH-TV
- Time: 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
- Location: Outside each Lucas Oil Stadium gate until kickoff
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- SACKing Hunger Food Drive*, presented by Meijer *
Fans are encouraged to drop off canned/non-perishable food items. Fans who donate on Sunday will receive a limited-edition poster featuring members of the Colts, while supplies last.
Monetary donations will also be accepted. All donations will benefit Gleaners Food Bank, an organization that stores and redistributes donated food to 350 hunger relief agencies to serve Indiana's hungry.
- Time: 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
- Location: At any of the Colts Community Collection Stations, presented by Toyota, located outside each Lucas Oil Stadium gate.
- 175 Family Members of Fallen Soldiers Honored as 12th Man Fans of the Game, supported by*Wilson Kehoe Winningham*
- Full Field Flag Held by 150 military personnel
Veterans Day Visit, November 11, 2013
For the fourth consecutive year, the Indianapolis Colts will work with local students to decorate 200 Colts footballs and place them in care packages for delivery to veterans at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis, Ind. This year, the Colts are partnering with Harrison College to engage students from Indianapolis Metropolitan High School, as well as Harrison College students and employees, in the project.
To celebrate Veterans Day on Monday, November 11, Colts players and Community Spokesperson Josh Bleill will visit Indianapolis Metropolitan High School from 10-11 a.m. to help the students and Harrison College employees decorate 200 footballs with messages of thanks for Veterans Day. The footballs will then be placed in care packages and delivered to veterans by students and players from 2:30 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. that afternoon at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center.
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WHAT: |
Veterans Care Package Assembly |
Care Package Delivery |
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TIME: |
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. |
2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. |
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WHERE*: |
Indianapolis Metropolitan High School 1635 West Michigan Street Indianapolis, IN 46222 |
Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center 1481 West 10th Street Indianapolis, IN 46202 |
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WHO: |
Colts Players, Community Spokesperson and Iraq War Veteran Josh Bleill, 40 students and Harrison College employees |
Colts Players, 4 high school students, 2 Harrison College students |
This visit is a part of the NFL's league-wide Salute to Service Campaign and serves as the team's "Community Tuesday" due to their Thursday night game on NFL Network.
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About NFL Salute to Service
*The National Football League will continue its long history of honoring veterans and active duty members of the military with its new annual "Salute to Service" campaign that will occur each November. The "Salute to Service" campaign is designed to unify and elevate the extensive military appreciation work of the NFL and its clubs. Throughout November, teams will designate home games as special military appreciation games. During these games, teams will display "Salute to Service" banners on their sidelines, in addition to hosting ceremonies to honor the service and sacrifice of our nation's troops. *
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*The "Salute to Service" campaign aligns with the NFL's long history of supporting America's armed services, including a partnership of more than 45 years with the USO that includes overseas visits to troops and trips to military hospitals nationwide. *
About Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana
Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana was founded in a three-and-a-half-car garage in 1980 with the purpose of fighting hunger in our community. Today, Gleaners serves over 160,900 different individuals who depend on food and other critical grocery products provided by the food bank to over 350 hunger relief agencies throughout 21 counties in central and southeastern Indiana. To date, the food bank has distributed over 300 million pounds of food and critical grocery products. In our last fiscal year, Gleaners distributed nearly 21 million pounds of food which is the equivalent of 16 million meals. Gleaners also provides specialized programs for our most vulnerable populations, children and senior citizens. Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana is a member of Feeding America, the nation's food bank network. In Gleaners' 21-county service area, more than 287,000 people live in poverty—and 103,000 of them are children. Learn more at **www.gleaners.org*.*
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About The Indiana Department of The American Legion**
*The Indiana Department of The American Legion is comprised of 89,000 members in 376 Posts across the state of Indiana. The Indiana Department of The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the state of Indiana's largest war-time veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow service members and veterans. *
The American Legion is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization with great political influence perpetuated by its grass-roots involvement in the legislation process from local districts to state houses and on to Capitol Hill. Legionnaires' sense of obligation to community, state and nation drives an honest advocacy for veterans in Washington. The Legion stands behind the issues most important to the nation's veterans community, backed by resolutions passed by volunteer leadership. The American Legion's success depends entirely on active membership, participation and volunteerism. The organization belongs to the people it serves and the communities in which it thrives.
About Harrison College**
Harrison College is a contemporary, career-focused institution of higher education serving more than 4,500 students throughout the United States and Internationally. Harrison College has 12 campuses in Indiana and Ohio, two culinary schools in Indiana and North Carolina, and also offers courses online at harrison.edu. The institution grants Associate's and Bachelor's degrees across five schools of study: Business, Health Sciences, Information Technology, Criminal Justice, and Veterinary Technology, as well as its culinary division, The Chef's Academy. Harrison College offers students a variety of learning environments including online, traditional classroom, or a combination of both. Harrison College is accredited by the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) and is dedicated to excellence in higher learning. In addition, the College is currently a Candidate with The Higher Learning Commission and an affiliate of the North Central Association (HLC-NCA). Harrison College was founded in 1902 as Indiana Business College, and is celebrating its 110th anniversary of preparing students for their chosen professions.
About Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center
*Since 1932 the VA Medical Center has been serving veterans, providing acute inpatient medical, surgical, psychiatric, neurological, and rehabilitation care, as well as both primary and specialized outpatient services. Each year, the Center cares for more than 53,000 patients. *
