- December 4, 2025
Veteran Barry du Moulin, Coast Guard Honorary lt. commander, is given a windshield display by Sara Dionne of Ormond Beach Leisure Services. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Ormond Beach Senior Center hosted this years Hometown Heroes drive-thru recognition. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Coast Guard Master Chief Wray Gillette at the Hometown Heroes event. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Coast Guard Master Chief Wray Gillette receives his gift bag from Austin Branning and Sara Dionne at the drive-thru veteran recognition event. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Army Sgt. James Durst and his wife Sarah enjoyed the Hometown Heroes event. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Ormond Beach Leisure Services employees roll out free lunch for the Hometown Hero veterans. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Deputy Mayor Harold Briley and Leisure Services photographer Skip Crowell stand by as Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington greets a veteran. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Halifax Health Veterans Affairs volunteers and veterans Marine Sgt. William Milledge, Army Specialist Preston Nealy, and Navy Corpsman and Vietnam veteran Bob Bendlin greet the Hometown Heroes. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
The Hometown Heroes event is open to families of veterans like Mary Hether (right), whose husband was an Air Force veteran. She was joined by Marilyn Miller (left). Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Sara Dionne greets driver Meryl Heather, whose husband was an Air Force veteran, and Marylin Miller. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
The Ormond Beach Leisure Services team: Spencer Meehl, Taylor Daller, Austin Branning, Committee Events coordinator Sonja A. Johnson, Sara Dionne, and Aiden Carolin. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Deputy Mayor Harold Briley hands U.S. Navy Lt. Mike Lynch a complimentary lunch at the event. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
U.S. Navy Lt. Mike Lynch is greeted by Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
U.S. Navy Lt. Mike Lynch and his daughter Addie, 8, came out for the Hometown Heroes event. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
James Mathis, Air force staff sergeant, at the Hometown Heroes event. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Deputy Mayor Harold Briley gives a free lunch to a veteran during the Hometown Heroes event. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington thanks a veteran during the Hometown Heroes event. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington and Deputy Mayor Harold Briley display the commemorative coin given to each participating veteran. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
A commemorative coin was gifted to each participating veteran. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
A commemorative coin was gifted to each participating veteran. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Deputy Mayor Harold Briley and Leisure Services photographer Skip Crowell at the Hometown Heroes event. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Ormond Beach Police Officers Ryan Smith and Jeremy Smith await the arrival of the veterans in from of the MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Ormond Beach firefighters Michael DeBenedet, Capt. Jim Peters and Oscar Rodriquez were on hand to thank the Hometown Heroes. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Personalized gift bags were prepared for each participating Hometown Hero. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Sara Dionne displays a bridge banner, gifted to each veteran. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Ormond Beach Leisure Services employees Taylor Daller, Sara Dionne and Austin Branning await the arrival of the Hometown Heroes. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Ormond Beach salutes its Hometown Heroes. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Willie Branch, U.S. Navy veteran, and Robert Carol, Ormond Beach Leisure Services director, enjoy their post as greeters for the Hometown Heroes. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
Willie Branch, U.S. Navy veteran, came out to honor the Hometown Heroes. Photo by Suzanne McCarthy
The city of Ormond Beach appreciated local veterans with its annual Hometown Heroes drive-thru recognition event, in conjunction with the city's military appreciation banner program on the Granada Bridge.
Over 100 veterans are being honored this year through the program, which was started in 2019.
Sponsored by Halifax Health, the event was held on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Ormond Beach Senior Center. Veterans were welcomed by Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington and Deputy Mayor Harold Briley as they received a gift bag, including a copy of their bridge banner, a commemorative coin and a free lunch.
Ormond Beach Leisure Service Director Robert Carolin said the event “gives us the ability to honor our veterans.”
Firefighters, Ormond Beach Police officers and Halifax Health Veterans Affairs volunteers were on hand to thank the veterans for their service.
