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The Drill Team's Pre-Memorial Day Salute


Gator Claus

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The Palm Tree Santas Drill Team will be back in uniform this weekend in Cocoa Beach, Florida as a part of the Palm Tree Santas' Spring Fling. The Santas will enjoy the day touring the Kennedy Space Center and will be treated to several special presentations Saturday evening, including a presentation titled "Following in the Footsteps of St. Nicholas" and a presentation about the Drill Team's visit and participation in Santa Claus, Indiana this past November and April.

On Sunday morning the Team will be presenting a special Memorial Day Prayer and Salute at the War Memorial on Merritt Island, honoring all who have and are serving in our Nation's Armed Forces. (Saturday is Armed Forces Day.) The following Prayer will be presented as only the Drill Team can present it with Service and National Colors flying!

Drill Team’s Memorial Prayer and Salute

Heavenly Father, we commend to your gracious care and keeping, all the men and women of our Armed Forces at home and abroad. For these men and women have been drawn from the ways of peace.

They fight not for the lust of conquest, they fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate.

They fight to let justice arise, and they fight for tolerance and good will among all people. They yearn for the end of battle and for their safe return to the haven of home and those who love them.

Defend them day by day with your heavenly grace. Strengthen them in their trials and temptations.

Give them courage to face the perils which beset them. Grant them a sense of your abiding presence wherever they may be.

We pray for the sons and daughters of our nation who have perished in the cause of liberty, country and peace, the cause that has called Americans from generation to generation.

We ask God to bless them, take them to Himself and reward their patriot’s love. We pray for those who gave their lives in the hope of a future of freedom and peace for their countrymen.

We pray for the peace, for the devotion and strength of soul to continue to build that future and to protect it always.

We pray and we resolve to keep holy the memory of those who have died for our country and to make their cause inseparably our own.

The words of Abraham Lincoln spoken so many years ago in 1865 still call to all Americans to honor and respect our Veterans so that their service and sacrifice will never be in vain.

“Let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to care for him who shall have borne the battle, for his widow and his orphan – to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and a lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.

We pray and we promise all this, so that one day, Taps will sound never again for the young and the brave and the good.

Following the prayer, the Team's own Santa Frank will play "Taps" and lead everyone in the singing of "God Bless America." Next weekend, the Drill Team will be marching in the Sanford, Florida Memorial Day Parade and participating in the Memorial Day Ceremony by presenting our story of the Star Spangled Banner. Please keep the men and women of our Armed Forces, past and present, in your hearts and prayers!

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You guys are amazing! Thank you for all that yo do!

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Thank you, Eileen! When the Team marches or performs we are representing everyone of the Santa community, not just the Palm Tree Santas. We are so Blessed to have you believe in us and support us in our mission to bring Love, Hope, Joy, Pride, Honor and Courage to all of Santa's children, especially those in uniform.

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My Aunt lives in Cocoa Beach. I hope she has a chance to see you guys! Have a fantastic weekend.

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As always you guy's are amazing.

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What they do is very moving and inspirational, even though I have yet to witness it.

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We appreciate the work that all of you do for the Santa community. You sure do make us look good! Keep up the wonderful work.

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You Santas are great and make us all proud

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ho ho ho! I believe you would all have been very proud of Santas Drill Team performance Sunday morning at the Veterans Memorial Center, Merritt Island, Fl. As it has been said, when we perform, we respectfully represent Santas everywhere!

Team Leader, Santa Dennis Pollard has assimilated a truly outstanding Memorial Salute and Prayer which we performed at the re-dedication of Santa Charlie Smith's World War I life size statue of the "Doughboy"!

The Drill Team's version as written by Santa Dennis is a combination of Memorial Day Prayers from Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Regan!

A very powerful message! those who have seen us perform some of our other presentations know we tend to put a patriotic tear or two in most peoples eyes. Well, this Memorial Prayer is really very well researched by Santa Dennis and even all of us had a tear in our eye as we recited our part. ho ho ho! and it looked like most everyone in the audience was moved by our presentation!

The Memorial Prayer was followed by the playing of TAPS, by Santa Frank Miller on his Saxophone! never heard it on a Sax! how great that was!! then Santa Frank led everyone in singing "God Bless America!!! WOW! that felt good!!

I hope you get some goose bumps just reading about this!!! it is really great stuff!

If you want to see and hear the Santas Drill Team perform this Military Prayer and Salute, playing TAPS and all of us singing "God Bless America" better make your reservation for the Jim Yellig Santa Claus Workshop in Santa Claus Indiana next April!

And remember you and your Ms Claus don't have to pay $400 or $500 or $600 to come, and you won't have to pay any extra if you want to bring an elf, a child or grandchild, or four or five of 'em, cause there is no deposit, and there is no registration fee!!! The entire weekend is provided without cost by the Santa Claus Oath Foundation, you only pay for your lodging, (if needed) your food and your travel!

Thanks to everyone for all their support for the honor we provide to our men and women who serve and who have given their all for their country. We are all humbled to be able to show our support, on behalf of all the Santa community.

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A salute to the Palm Tree Santa's Drill Team for inspiring us and making us proud to be American's. You are all a patriotic inspiration to our country and the Santa Claus Community.

My friends these Santa's are committed as they give up their personal time to perform, spend their own money on costumes and travel expenses to perform for the public. Thank you Palm Tree Santa's Drill Team you are true ambassadors of the Christmas Spirit.

I 'm also happy to hear the Palm Tree Santa's Drill Team will be performing at the Jim Yellig Santa Claus workshop in April 2012. This is a don't miss event and their performance is going to be a highlight of this weekend. Plus, don't forget the seminars for this three day event are free!

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As usual you guys will do a splendid job , thanks for your dedication to our millitary vetrans and the Santa community

Thanks Again !!!

:groupwavereversed:

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