Veterans get free tickets for the 2024 VAlentines for Veterans concert

Free tickets for the 2024 Valentines for Veterans concert Thursday featuring Tracy Byrd at the Black River Coliseum are limited, but veterans interested in attending may call the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center.

Tickets are not available to the general public, this is for veterans only, said J. Dale Garrett, chief of the center for development and civic engagement. Garrett explained veterans may call the hospital’s main telephone number, 573-778-4276.

Garrett credits Robert Wake, a Purple Heart recipient and the founder and CEO of the Wake Foundation, for all of work in he does in providing the entertainers.

Wake is passionate about honoring and assisting veterans and dedicates his time to doing just that, according to Garrett. For the past 14 years, the Wake Foundation has helped sponsor VAlentines for Veterans, a musical event honoring veterans for their service and sacrifices.

Garrett said the VA has been involved for a few years providing support and volunteers behind the scenes.

Plans this year are for about 5,500 tickets to be used, Garrett said. Some years as many as 6,000 have attended the event.

The concert is planned to give veterans an opportunity to attend a concert they might not otherwise be afford.

“The cost of tickets are astronomical, if the veterans had to pay for them,” Garrett said.

The event has been coordinated annually around the National Salute to Veteran Patients Program week.

The purpose of the National Salute to Veteran Patients Program is to pay tribute and express appreciation to veterans, increase community awareness of the role of the VA medical center and encourage citizens to visit hospitalized veterans and to become involved as volunteers, Garrett said.

The local concert is being held a week early this year because of scheduling conflicts with the venue.

“The week of Feb 14 each year is your opportunity to say thank you to a special group of men and women, the more than 9 million veterans of the U.S. armed services who are cared for in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers, outpatient clinics, domiciliaries and nursing homes,” Garrett said. “During the National Salute, VA invites individuals, veterans groups, military personnel, civic organizations, businesses, schools, local media, celebrities and sports stars to participate in a variety of activities at the VA medical centers.

“The activities and events include special ward visits and valentine distributions; photo opportunities; school essay contests; special recreation activities and veteran recognition programs.”

The week also provides an opportunity for the community to become acquainted with the volunteer opportunities within the medical center.

Contact the local VA Medical Center and ask for voluntary service to discover the things you, your group or organization can do to salute America’s Heroes, Garrett said.

Byrd became a household name on the Country Music Scene in 1993 when his third single, called “Holdin’ Heaven”, off of his MCA Records, self-titled debut album, hit #1 on the Billboard Country Charts. The debut album went on to be certified Gold, a reward signifying sales in excess of 500,000 copies.

Byrd went back in the studio in June 2016 and started work on his first project in 10 years. Recorded completely in Tyler, Texas, at Rosewood Studios, that album is titled, “All American Texan.” The album was released in 2016.