Armed Forces Day plans taking flight

Mar. 2—Plans are moving forward for the Armed Forces Day celebration in McAlester, with plans for both a downtown parade and a banquet this year.

The Armed Forces Day Luncheon is set for 11:30 a.m. on Friday May 6, at the Scottish Rite Center, said Armed Forces Day Committee Chairman Jeff Wolf. Plans call for the Armed Forces Day Parade to be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 7, in downtown McAlester.

Wolf said the Indian Chapter of the Scottish Rite agreed to take on the event after the McAlester Chamber of Commerce's Executive Board voted not to handle the project this year.

For awhile, it looked like the parade and banquet might not be held this year, until the Indian Chapter of the Scottish Rite stepped forward, Wolf said.

"They're helping us save this patriotic event for our veterans," Wolf said.

"We didn't want it to go away; we didn't want it to die," Wolf said of the Armed Forces Day celebration in McAlester. "This is our 75th anniversary, our Diamond Anniversary."

Scottish Rite members who attended the meeting this week and agreeing to sponsor the Armed Forces Day events included President of the Indian Chapter of the Scottish Rite in McAlester, Dennis Wilson, along with Steve Caudill, Jim Mercer and Randy Roden, as well as Indian Chapter Grand Secretary Michael A. Ebert.

Wilson said members arranged the meeting with Wolf after learning the parade and banquet might have to be canceled this year due to the lack of a sponsor. He said they were glad to take on the Armed Forces Day events.

"We felt like it was a worthwhile cause and we wanted to honor our veterans," Wilson said. "We will be sponsoring the parade and the banquet."

How did the Chamber of Commerce cease to be involved this year? Chamber of Commerce Board President Chris Plunkett said the Board's executive committee made the decision.

Plunkett said at the time the original decision was made, Krystal Bess was no longer at the Chamber full-time and the new Chamber Executive Director Brian Flynn had not been hired. Plunkett said the Chamber normally was represented by one member, who was usually Bess, on the Armed Forces Day Committee.

With Bess no longer available full-time since becoming manager of the Expo Center, Plunkett said no one was available to fill her slot on the Armed Forces Day Committee.

"We didn't have a director at the time," Plunkett said "We didn't feel comfortable to making a commitment like we have in the past."

By the time Flynn was hired, the Chamber's Executive Board had already decided to go in a different direction, said Plunkett.

"We said this year, because of our transition with Brian, it wasn't in our best interests to be on that committee," Plunkett said. "At the end of the day, it was not to our benefit." Plunkett said the board wanted to focus on other events, such as the pro rodeo, one of its biggest activities.

"Our vision is about community engagement, growing membership and being a voice for our members," said Plunkett.

Plunkett described the Chamber's role in the past as serving as a conduit for money donated to help pay for the Armed Forces Day events, with the Chamber's representative writing the checks. No Chamber funds were involved, but the Chamber was responsible for the money donated for Armed Forces Day activities, he said.

"This year we didn't have the capacity to do that," Plunkett said.

Plunkett, who has been deployed to a number of war zones during his time serving in the U.S. Army and later with the U.S. Air Force, said the Chamber still is supportive of the Armed Forces Day celebration events.

Meanwhile, Wolf planned to meet with Wilson and other members of the Scottish Rite this week at the Scottish Rite Center at the corner of Second Street and Adams Avenue to begin finalizing plans for the Armed Forces Day luncheon.

More details, such as ticket prices and how to obtain them are still in the planning stages, with more details to be released as plans are finalized.

Wolf said the Armed Forces Day Luncheon has always been a major part of Armed Forces Day. It had to be canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 concerns by the city of McAlester, Wolf said. He's looking forward to its return for 2022 at the Scottish Rite Center.

"We're glad to have it this year at such a grand venue," said Wolf.

Although COVID-1 concerns led to the luncheon's cancellation in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 concerns, the Armed Forces Day Parade was held last year.

Wolf considers it one of the best ever, with people lining the streets of McAlester for the patriotic event.

More details regarding this year's events will be forthcoming as the Armed Forces Day celebration nears, but for now, Wolf is pleased to have the Indian Chapter of the Scottish Rite involved.

"We're absolutely excited," said Wolf.

Wilson said the Scottish Rite is glad to sponsor the Armed Forces Day events in McAlester and to honor the veterans.

"We want to recognize the institutions that support our freedom," said Wilson.

Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.