Apopka prepares to honor veterans with ceremony, community support and special offers

In Summary:

Apopka’s Veterans Day ceremony will bring residents to Kit Land Nelson Park on Wednesday to recognize military service. Employment opportunities and business offers throughout Apopka and Orange County provide additional ways to support veterans and their families. The observance also draws attention to ongoing health care needs, including suicide prevention and the debate over treatments promoted by the TreatNOW Coalition.

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Apopka will gather Wednesday to recognize its military veterans, with an observance at Kit Land Nelson Park anchoring a week of employment opportunities, community programs and special offers. The holiday also reminds veterans’ advocates that support for those who served must continue long after the ceremony ends.

Related: Sailor with family ties to Apopka serves with Navy Medicine in Italy.

The city’s Veterans Day ceremony begins at 11 am on November 11, with Vietnam veteran Loretta Forlaw scheduled to speak. Across Apopka and Orange County, businesses will offer meals, haircuts, grocery discounts, and attraction admission to eligible veterans and military personnel.

A morning of recognition in Apopka

VFW Post 10147’s Veterans Day ceremony will take place at Kit Land Nelson Park, 10 S. Forest Ave., according to the City of Apopka calendar. Forlaw, a former commander of the post, will serve as guest speaker, and the Apopka Police Department Honor Guard will present the colors.

City offices will close Wednesday for the holiday and reopen Thursday, November 12, at 8 am. Refuse collection will continue on its normal schedule, and police, fire, and emergency medical services will remain available.

Employment opportunities will also be part of the week’s activities. Apopka’s human resources, police, and fire departments are scheduled to participate in the Paychecks for Patriots Job Fair on Tuesday, November 10, from 10 am to 1 pm at Orange Technical College, 2900 W. Oak Ridge Road, Building 1600, in Orlando, according to the city’s event listing.

Music, recovery and community

A separate Orlando program will bring stroke survivors, caregivers, professional musicians and AdventHealth clinicians together for a performance celebrating creative expression and connection. Dr. Phillips Center, in association with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, is presenting STROKESTRA: A Musical Celebration at Steinmetz Hall.

Under artistic director Nolan Williams Jr., participants developed the performance over three months, drawing on themes of journey, travel, breath, and adventure. The program combines therapeutic techniques with group music-making and explores wellbeing and resilience through collaboration.

The supplied performance listing lists Wednesday, November 11, at 6 pm, with a running time of approximately 90 minutes. For more details, visit the Dr. Phillips Center event page or call the box office at 407-358-6603. Steinmetz Hall is at 445 S. Magnolia Ave. in Orlando.

Although the showcase is not advertised as a veterans-specific event, its focus on recovery, caregivers, and community connection complements the broader discussion of support surrounding the holiday.

Supporting veterans beyond the holiday

In its Veterans Day message, the TreatNOW Coalition is calling for greater attention to veterans living with traumatic brain injuries, blast-related injuries, concussions, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The organization describes itself as a network of veterans, clinicians and advocates that promotes hyperbaric oxygen therapy, or HBOT, and connects people with treatment providers.

For more details, visit TreatNOW.

The coalition’s appeal emphasizes donations, volunteer assistance, and expanded access to care. Its release credits participating clinics and supporters with providing treatment through donations and pro bono services, while urging the public to help identify veterans who need assistance.

The need for suicide prevention remains substantial. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ 2026 annual report recorded 6,488 veteran suicides in 2024, an average of 17.7 per day. Those figures cover veterans broadly, not only those who served in the conflicts following September 11, 2001. 

TreatNOW’s claims about HBOT reflect the coalition’s position, not an established medical consensus. VA guidance describes insufficient evidence to recommend for or against HBOT for PTSD and recommends against its use for symptoms attributed to mild traumatic brain injury. The coalition’s claims that the treatment can reverse suicide or substance-use epidemics have not been established by that guidance. 

The coalition also cites Brown University’s Costs of War research to illustrate the lasting consequences of military conflict. Brown’s estimates include approximately $8 trillion in costs associated with the post-9/11 wars and millions of deaths from both direct violence and indirect consequences, including disrupted health care and other essential services. Those deaths should not all be characterized as people killed directly in fighting.

Free Admission on Veterans Day for All at Florida State Parks

This Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, Florida State Parks will offer free admission to all visitors. This year, while America celebrates 250 years as an independent nation, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) invites Floridians and visitors to reflect on the path of freedom and remember the dedicated service of the men, women and their families who guided us to 250 years of liberty.

Many state parks have historical ties to military service, having once served as strategic outposts and training grounds. These sites now stand as places for remembrance and education, offering visitors the opportunity to connect with the settings and key figures of the stories that shaped our history. Notable examples include:

• Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, in Alachua County, where a frontier trading post facilitated commerce between Native Americans and British settlers.
• San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park, in Wakulla County, where control of the fort shifted during periods of British rule.
• Fernandina Plaza Historic State Park, Amelia Island State Park and Fort Clinch State Park, in Nassau County, which were connected to small military conflicts and border tensions with the neighboring colony of Georgia.
• Avalon State Park, in St. Lucie County, the site of a World War II training camp used to develop the frogmen who would later become the U.S. Navy SEALs.
• Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, in Monroe County, which played an important role in both the Civil War and the Spanish-American War.   

In addition to free admission on Veterans Day, Florida State Parks show their appreciation for those who serve by offering year-round benefits to honor the commitment and sacrifice of service members and their families, including:

• A 25% discount on annual entrance passes for active-duty and honorably discharged veterans.
• Free lifetime military entrance passes for veterans with service-connected disabilities, as well as for surviving spouses and parents of those who died in combat.

Please note: Free admission applies to day use only and excludes Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Skyway Fishing Pier State Park, and Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. All other fees, including those for overnight accommodations, concessions, and rentals from park vendors, will remain in effect.  

To learn more about how Florida State Parks honor and appreciate veterans, visit FloridaStateParks.org/learn/Florida-State-Parks-Appreciate-Veterans. To learn more about Florida’s role in America’s 250th anniversary, visit America250FL.com. 

Businesses join the observance

Businesses throughout the area are offering practical expressions of appreciation, from complimentary meals to reduced grocery bills. In Apopka, Hall’s on 5th has announced Veterans Day food and beverage specials, while national promotions include free meals at participating Chili’s and Applebee’s restaurants and free haircuts at Great Clips. Hall’s has not published the specific discounts in its announcement.

For more details, visit www.hallson5th.com

Winn-Dixie will offer eligible military customers 11% off qualifying in-store purchases on November 11. The company is also partnering with DLJ Produce and the Winn-Dixie Gives Foundation to donate 5 cents to the USO for every pound of participating Razzle Dazzle Premium Grapes sold through Veterans Day, with donations totaling up to $50,000. 

Waters Car Wash’s observance extends across three days, Nov. 9-11, with complimentary washes for veterans, active-duty military personnel and first responders who present valid identification. The offer applies during regular business hours at its Florida locations.

“We’re honored to recognize the men and women who have dedicated themselves to serving our country and protecting our communities,” said Kevin Matthews, chief operating officer and president of Summit Wash Holdings, Waters Car Wash’s parent company. Locations and operating hours are available at waterscarwash.com.

Veterans Day deals calendar

Offers below are advertised promotions. Confirm individual location participation, bring the required identification, and review exclusions before visiting.

Key Points:

• Apopka’s Veterans Day ceremony begins at 11 am on November 11 at Kit Land Nelson Park and features Vietnam veteran Loretta Forlaw.
• Apopka departments will participate in the Paychecks for Patriots Job Fair November 10 in Orlando.
• STROKESTRA’s musical showcase brings together stroke survivors, caregivers, musicians and clinicians; its conflicting date information needs confirmation.
• TreatNOW is calling for expanded support for veterans with brain injuries and PTSD, although its HBOT claims differ from VA treatment guidance.
• Area offers include free meals, haircuts and car washes, an 11% Winn-Dixie discount and complimentary admission to two ICON Park attractions.