Disney, Pelicans and USO show appreciation for military
BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News franklin@gulfbreezenews.com

Minnie Mouse and Scoop the Pelican are teaming up this month but it won't be for a computer generated summer blockbuster film. The Walt Disney Company, Pensacola Pelicans and Pensacola United Service Organization (USO) will partner up to show their appreciation for the bay area's military personnel during Memorial Day weekend.

On May 25 and 27 the Pensacola Pelicans will host 300 service members, 150 per night, and their families with complimentary tickets to the team's home games against the Shreveport Sports.

"Anytime we can show support to military personnel it is absolutely critical," said Heidi Blair, Center Director for the Pensacola USO. "The ability to say 'thank you' in a public way is an incredible gift."

Blair said the local USO office, which welcomed over 20,000 service members at the Pensacola Airport in 2006, received a $10,000 "Disney Minnie Grant" for the event. Blair said the grant will provide Disney DVD's, and t-shirts in addition to ball park refreshments for participating service members during the games. The grant is apart of Disney's worldwide support of the non-profit USO, totaling more than $3.6 million of cash and in- kind donations over the last six years.

In celebration of National Military Appreciation Month, Disney is sponsoring 31 other Military Family Appreciation Events within USO districts worldwide in such places as Guam, Germany, Korea and Japan in addition to the United States. More than 64,000 service members and their families are expected to attend these events throughout the month of May.

Jason Libbert, spokesman for the Pelicans, said the team's military appreciation efforts have been ongoing throughout the month and have included a moment of silence and public acknowledgements.

"In this area the military is a big part of the community. We're also a part of the community so it's the least we could do," Libbert said.

Retired Army veteran, Purple Heart recipient and Navarre resident Norman Meeker said remembering those who serve this country is even more important during this time of war.

"Some young people have been quite fortunate for many years and have not had to make sacrifices," Meeker said. "I'm afraid that easy time is beginning to end for our young people. We are into something that we're not going to get out of easily. [Memorial Day] is a good reminder that somebody has had to walk into gun powder."