This weekend in Fayetteville U.S. Vet Aid will honor military veterans with a festival at the Villages Amphitheater that includes musical performances by classic rock groups and the up-and-coming band Sun Domingo. The purpose of the occasion is to pay tribute to those who have served in the armed forces and to raise money for the thousands of veterans who lack basic necessities.

The festival, dubbed Vet Aid, begins this evening around 5 when Blackfoot and The Wet Willie Band, among other acts, will take stage. The activities will start back up at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Sun Domingo, who appeared yesterday on Good Day Atlanta on Fox 5 for a performance and chat, will play for the crowd, and Slowride will round out the day. The concerts will benefit a number of charities, including the National Military Family Association and the Armor 4 Troops Foundation.

The sponsoring organization, U.S. Vet Aid, was founded in 2000 by Paul R. Pettitt, an ex-serviceman with a background in the entertainment industry, to address the disrepair into which many Veterans Administration nursing homes had fallen. Since September 11, 2001, when over 500,000 reservists were activated, the circumstances of many veterans have become tenuous. Nearly a quarter are homeless, and foreclosures on houses owned by veterans have increased four-fold since 2001. Evictions and losses of utilities also stalk many who have served in the military.

Vet Aid begins Friday, June 15, and concludes Saturday, June 16 at the Villages Amphitheater on LaFayette Avenue. Tickets are available at www.ticketalternative.com and at the gate. For more information visit the event’s website at www.vetaid.us.

login to post comments