Memorial "Remembrance" Day

[Santa Bob Elkin]

Sacrifice!! Memorial day is about those men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice!

The Palm Tree Santas Drill Team members made a few, very tiny sacrifices today to show our honor and respect on Memorial Day to our heroes!

We were up at 4:00am, traveling from various cities, 2-2 1/2 hours to march in the Sanford Memorial Day Parade.

The parade was approximately 12 blocks long, but every block and every side of the street were filled with Patriots, 4-8 rows deep. It seemed that every child and every person had an American flag waving at us, cheering for the Santas Drill Team and every camera was pointed in our direction. Santa Dan and Santa Jim led us on Dan's Red Harley Trike with our New display of our US Flag 8' tall, flanked in a fan spread formation by our Military Service flags and POW flag. These were over 6' tall and had a fan spread of over 6' wide, like a giant colorful American Peacock! Mounted on the rear of the trike, it was an awesome sight for the Santas to follow as 6 Santas marched, with our faithful Eagle Scout Drill Instructor calling cadence like the seasoned D.I. he is and Santa Frank marching with us playing his Sax. We were the hit of the parade! Santa Frank broke out a new "Santa" tune on his Sax, to liven up our march a little..."When the Santas Come Marching In" ho ho ho, the crowd definitely enjoyed us and appreciated us.

This was small town Florida, this was small town America, honoring the men and women who gave their lives for our country. (pause) I had sent out press releases, we saw TV and newspaper there, hopefully we will see some pictures from Orlando and or Sanford media. You all would have had a little tear of joy for us, had you seen us!

But wait, we were not even nearly through, following the Parade, we were invited to participate in the "Remembrance" Ceremony! I hope some pictures will surface somewhere, because I can't invoke the words to describe the setting for their "Remembrance" Ceremony. If you can imagine a small Veterans park about the size of a football field as a peninsula jutting out over the water, with a centerpiece Memorial, topped with a life size eagle in full wing spread, well that is just a start.

If you can estimate the number of folks you could stand in the area of a football field, you can estimate the crowd of folks gathered to see and hear the Remembrance Ceremony, 500-1,000?? more??

There was nothing boring about any of the 21 separate presentations! When the Palm Tree Santas Drill Team was announced we performed to make you all proud. It was the first time we were able to use our recently purchased sound system (out of our own pockets) and with the crowd we were performing for, even those folks the further est away could hear and were paying attention to our story!

And why not, the Santas were presenting "The Story of the Star Spangled Banner", which for those who have not heard us, is the Story of the War of 1812 and how and why Francis Scott Key wrote this song, that has become our National Anthem. With Santa Frank playing "The Star Spangled Banner" on his saxophone, throughout the story, again, we put a few tears in a lot of, I mean in a lot of lot of folks eyes! ho ho ho!

I am confident, if someone had an applause meter, we received the loudest and longest applause of any other single presentation and probably even more than the total applause at the end of the Remembrance Ceremony. Well maybe the only thing louder was the 21 Gun Salute by the Marines, they used what looked like shotguns instead of rifles!!!!! or maybe the fly-in of the helicopter, then as he hovered for a couple of minutes over the top of the Wing Spread Eagle, that was really an awesome sight! and it was pretty loud!!

After the parade and ceremony we received so very many kind words, it was almost overwhelming! The City Managers we had worked with to appear this year, were already telling us we had to promise to come back in 2012, we were the hit of the entire day, etc, etc.

Afterwards we went to a reception at the VFW by the DAV Chapter! Seems everyone who was at the Remembrance Ceremony was there, as we were overwhelmed by the praise heaped on us! Best tasting hamburger, hot dog and beverage I have ever had on Remembrance Day! they probably had some Apple Pie too, but this Santa settled for some home made oatmeal cookies! ho ho ho!

Sacrifice??? up at 4:00am, a tank of gas, I don't think so, that was no sacrifice!! this was a blessing!

Yes we were rewarded, we were blessed by God to be able to do what we did today! I am certain every member of our Palm Tree Santas Drill Team is bursting with pride today, and I hope every member of the Palm Tree Santas is equally proud, as we represent you and all Santas everywhere, and to those team members who might not have been able to make this particular trip, they were with us in spirit and each team member shares our pride!! and thanks to PTS member Norm for riding over to support us from the east coast, missed you in Cocoa Beach!

Thank you one and all for your participation today, and to everyone for your support and your brotherly love!

Next up for the Palm Tree Santas Drill Team, Friday June 24th 6:00pm Ocala Shrine Club, Full Dress Presentations!

Possibles for the Drill Team, 4th of July Parade? where?? and 4th Celebration Presentation, 8:30pm Alachua, Fl ??

Next for the Palm Tree Santas, that wonderful wacky day we call "Christmas in July", last year we had 71 Santas, Ms Clauses and Elves in our Christmas Parade, can we top that??? Fri/Sat July 8th & 9th The Sponge Docks Merchants Association are committed to make this Third Annual a "Huge" event this year, more info to follow!

Santa Bob

[Eileen Strom]

Well done to you all.

You guys all do a splendid job (and it is nice to know that it is appreciated), and I'm sure that all that saw you were taken back by the fact that this is a bunch of Santas!

Hopefully some pictures will be forth coming from somewhere!

[Santa Warren]

I agree well done and yes looking for pictures

[Gator Claus]

I'm having trouble loading pictures onto Claus Net, I'm pretty bad at that sort of thing.

If you go to http://www.ptsdrillteam.com and click on the "photos" you'll find quite a few pictures from our various appearances. Take a moment to watch the video play when you click on the "video" tab.

Santa Jim Williams, our webmaster and assistant Team Leader does a great job keeping our website up to date.

[Santa Bob Elkin]

I just had to post this email I received from the father of two little girls who saw us in the Sanford Memorial Day Parade! too cute! I send him our schedule and a special invite to our Christmas in July in Tarpon Springs, July 9th, hope they can come!

-------- Original Message --------

Subject: Sanford Parade

From: joe torresin

Date: Mon, May 30, 2011 3:59 pm

To: santabob@ptsdrillteam.com

Thank you to you and your team for showing up. I have 2 and 3 year old girls and your team was the highlight of their day. The older one searched for you all at the end, and when she could not find you wanted to take a trip to the North Pole to see you. We told her we will have to wait to find you in Florida, since Santa is on vacation.

Again thank you and your team, we look forward to seeing your group at the next opportunity that we get.

Joe Torresin