{"id":79693,"date":"2025-11-11T08:32:01","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T13:32:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.winterhavendaily.com\/?p=79693"},"modified":"2025-11-11T08:42:52","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T13:42:52","slug":"winter-haven-christian-school-honors-veterans-with-heartfelt-warriors-salute-to-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.winterhavendaily.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/11\/winter-haven-christian-school-honors-veterans-with-heartfelt-warriors-salute-to-you\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Haven Christian School Honors Veterans with Heartfelt \u201cWarriors Salute to You\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Jeanette Venable, center, is surrounded by veterans and their family members.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By Anita Todd<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WINTER HAVEN \u2013 Veterans of every age, branch, rank, and era of service were honored Friday, Nov. 7, during the annual \u201cWarriors Salute to You\u201d celebration at Winter Haven Christian School (WHCS). The two-hour tribute, now in its 12th year, welcomed more than 70 veterans for a morning of fellowship, patriotic performances, and recognition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Colors were presented by the Winter Haven Police Department.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Guests were served breakfast and enjoyed connecting with one another before taking their seats for the ceremony. The Winter Haven Police Department presented the Colors, and students sang patriotic songs including \u201cThe Star-Spangled Banner\u201d and \u201cGod Bless the USA.\u201d In addition to musical performances, students recited poems and writings that reflected patriotism and gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Winter Haven Christian School Students singing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Bud Porter, a U.S. Navy vet, spoke about his and his father’s experiences in the military.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bud Porter, U.S. Navy veteran and now chaplain, served as the guest speaker. Veterans Coy Bope and Justin Brennan also spoke, sharing information about their outreach program, Veterans Outdoor Ministries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The celebration began 12 years ago when Jeanette Venable \u2014 then Development Director and now Principal of the Elementary School \u2014 felt called to honor Pastor Dan Wade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have always had an appreciation for the men and women who served our country to protect our freedoms,\u201d Venable said. \u201cBack then, Pastor Dan Wade was a member of our board of directors and a frogman in the Korean War. It was in his honor that I wanted to start this program to recognize as many as we can who have served our great nation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An Air Force veteran smiles for the camera.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Since that first gathering, the event has grown while remaining centered on its mission: gratitude. \u201cWe publicize on social media and give our students invitations to invite any veterans to the school they know,\u201d Venable said. \u201cWe want to include any and everyone who has served.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venable says the school\u2019s commitment to honoring veterans is unwavering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Students lined the halls to say “thank you” to the veterans as they left after the event<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe reason it is important to me to hold this event every year is to show appreciation and honor to our servicemen and women. Also to show our students how much we appreciate our veterans and teach them to love our country,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And as long as Venable is at WHCS, the tradition will continue, she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Anita Todd WINTER HAVEN \u2013 Veterans of every age, branch, rank, and era of service were honored Friday, Nov. 7, during the annual \u201cWarriors Salute to You\u201d celebration at Winter Haven Christian School (WHCS). The two-hour tribute, now in its 12th year, welcomed more than 70 veterans for a morning of fellowship, patriotic performances, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":79694,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[15,1813,94],"class_list":{"0":"post-79693","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fast-factual-free","8":"tag-winter-haven","9":"tag-winter-haven-christian-school-honors-veterans","10":"tag-winter-haven-news"},"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.winterhavendaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/group-photo.jpg?fit=1920%2C1175&ssl=1","aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t