- December 13, 2025
Flagler County Veterans Day Parade Grand Marshal Dave Freeman. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler Palm Coast and Matanzas JROTC cadets presented colors at the Flagler County Veterans Day Ceremony. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County Veteran of the Year Mark Strobridge. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Sophia Waldman stays warm as she awaits the start of the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
A woman keeps her skull warm as she awaits the start of the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Aleena Baker awaits the start of the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Tom Byrne at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Billy Jones at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Parade spectators keep warm as they wait for the start of the Flagler County Veterans Day celebration. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas High School band at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas High School cheerleaders at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Matanzas High School Army JRTOC at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Representing the 345th Military Police Army Reserve Escort Guard Daytona Beach. Photo by Brent Woronoff
The Flagler County Mounted Patrol at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
The Flagler County Mounted Patrol at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Samuel Newland at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Pantherettes Dance at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County Sheriff's Office Motor Unit leads American Legion Post 115 at the front of the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Suncoast Community School at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Waiting for the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade to start. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Belle Terre Elementary School at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Disaled American Veterans Chapter 86 at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Heading into the Government Services Center Parking lot. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Palm Coast Mayor Mike Norris at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler Schools float at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler Palm Coast Air Force JROTC at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler Palm Coast Air Force JROTC cadets at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler Palm Coast High School band at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County Commission Chair Andy Dance introduces special guests at the Flagler County Veterans Day Ceremony. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Civil Air Patrol at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County Veteran Services Officer David Lydon and high school JROTC cadets during the Pledge of Allegiance at the Flagler County Veterans Day Ceremony. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Guitars for Vets at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore in the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Laurel Duffy, 9, sings the national anthem at the Flagler County Veterans Day Ceremony. Photo by Brent Woronoff
2024 Veteran of the Year Jeff Kingdon presents Laurel Duffy with a plaque. Duffy, 9, sang the national anthem at the Flagler County Veterans Day Ceremony. At left is Flagler County Veterans Service Officer David Lydon. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Retired Amy Lt. Col. Harry Gilman delivers the invocation at the Flagler County Veterans Day Ceremony. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County Veterans Day keynote speaker Dave Freeman. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County Commissioner Greg Hansen, a retired Navy captain. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Congressman Randy Fine speaks at the Flagler County Veterans Day Ceremony. Photo by Brent Woronoff
James Sherman in the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County Commissioner Greg Hansen and Flagler County Fire Rescue Chief Michael Tucker (background) present firefighting equipment to University of South Florida ROTC officers Spencer Conrad and Tyler Sayles. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler County Commissioner Greg Hansen and Flagler County Fire Rescue Chief Michael Tucker (right) present firefighting equipment to University of South Florida ROTC officers Spencer Conrad and Tyler Sayles. Photo by Brent Woronoff
VIPs at the at the Flagler County Veterans Day Ceremony including Flagler County Commissioner Greg Hansen, Palm Coast Councilman Charles Gambaro, Congressman Randy Fine and School Board members Will Furry and Christy Chong. Photo by Brent Woronoff
U.S. Marine Corps veterans sing the Marines' Hymn at the Flagler County Veterans Day Ceremony. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler Playhouse Penguin Project performers sing "God Bless America" at the Flagler County Veterans Day Ceremony. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Old Kings Elementary School at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Palm Coast-Flagler Regional Chamber of Commerce at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Parade float at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Flagler Playhouse Penguin Project participants at the Flagler County Veterans Day Parade. Photo by Brent Woronoff
Adults and children bundled up on an unseasonably cold day and grabbed their spots along State Road 100 in Bunnell, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, waiting for the start of Flagler County's Veterans Day Parade.
The bands and JROTC cadets from Flagler Palm Coast and Matanzas high schools marched. Veterans riding in Corvettes waved to the crowds. Schools, service organizations and first responders participated in the parade, which terminated near the Government Services Building. The county followed the parade with its Veterans Day ceremony featuring keynote speaker and parade grand marshal, Dave Freeman, and 2025 Flagler County Veteran of the Year Mark Strobridge.
Strobridge received the Col. Gary E. DeKay Veteran of the Year Award. Flagler County Veterans Services Officer David Lydon said the award was named in honor of DeKay, “who served this country and community for over 46 years and did so much for the veterans and citizens of Flagler County.”
DeKay was instrumental in the establishment of Flagler County’s Veterans Appreciation Day and the Flagler County Veteran of the Year Award, Lydon said.
Strobridge, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office chief of staff, served in the U.S. Marine Corps and then served in other capacities in the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for 30 years.
“In 2009, after retiring as a Sheriff's Office legend, he was chosen to lead a groundbreaking non-profit organization in Orlando focused on improving information sharing among law enforcement agencies, a role he excelled in until 2017,” Lydon said.
Strobridge is a deacon in his church, the treasurer for Teens in Flight, and a member of many community organizations. He stepped in to serve as Palm Coast’s interim assistant city manager during a time of transition and was awarded the Certificate of Excellence for his service.
Strobridge said he was humbled to be named Veteran of the Year but said the award is not about him.
"This award is really a composite of all the people who serve in these kind of capacities daily,” he said, listing the many city and county officials and first responders who went into service after first serving their country in the military.
Congressman Randy Fine attended the ceremony and spoke about the uniqueness of Veterans Day, which is not like many other holidays that are always on Monday to give people a three-day weekend.
“It's on the 11th of November, because that is when World War I ended, which they thought would be the war to end all wars,” Fine said.
Fine said we not only should honor our veterans but also their families, who sit at home waiting for their loved ones to return.
“We honor the veterans not only by taking care of them, but remembering what it is that they fought for, the first country in the history of the world that said that our rights did not come from government, that they came from God,” Fine said.
Freeman, who is Flagler Schools' chief of operations, is a retired lieutenant colonel in the Army. He served form 1983 to 2004 and then returned to active duty from 2006 to 2008 to support operations in Iraq.
He spoke about his recent 2,200-mile thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail through Warrior Expeditions, a non-profit for veterans.
“The transition from military to civilian life is not a simple step,” Freeman said. “It's a profound journey filled with immense challenge in the quiet weight of new burdens which often requires the same kind of fortitude that was needed on the battlefield.”
The journey on the hike is not just physical but spiritual and mental as well, he said.
“The trail provides something crucial that many veterans need. It provides a new mission,” he said. “Each white blaze is a victory, every summit is a triumph. Along the way they find a new kind of unit, the community of a ‘tramily,’ or a trail family, and the support of trail angels.”
When a veteran reaches the end of the trail, they have proven to themselves that they have the strength to keep going. They find a new peace, he said.
“This experience, my story, is a powerful reminder for us today,” Freeman said. “Veterans Day is not just about thanking our veterans for their past service. It's also about recognizing their ongoing journey. It is about understanding that the battles don't always end when they come home. It is about showing up for them, not just on November the 11th, but every single day.”