COLORADO, Sept. 27, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Colorado not only celebrates veterans this Veterans Day (Nov. 11), but every day and in many ways. Below is a compilation of news, events, programs, discounts and historic sites from across Colorado that educate visitors, honor and engage veterans and active service military members.
VETERANS PROGRAMS
Adaptive Adventures – Lakewood
Adaptive Adventures runs a program for veterans called Adaptive Adventures Military Operations. The program offers experiences in skiing, snowboarding, climbing, kayaking, sailing, scuba and more.
Adaptive Sports Center – Crested Butte
The Adaptive Sports Center offers the Operation Rise and Conquer program providing high-quality adventure activities for military service personnel.
Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center – Breckenridge
The Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center offers the Heroic Military program, offered free of cost to veterans injured in the line of duty and consisting of mountain retreats, river trips, trainings and other adventure activities.
LEADS Serves – Ridgway
LEADS Serves offers several programs specifically designed for veterans and their families including tandem cycling tours, equine therapy, hikes and ski treks.
National Sports Center for the Disabled – Denver, Winter Park
Military veterans are welcome to participate in all National Sports Center for the Disabled programs, and there are several programs specifically designed for veterans, including an adaptive airgun team, paddling club and archery clinic.
Paradox Sports – Boulder
Paradox’s mission is to revolutionize lives through unconventional, adaptive climbing opportunities and got its start running programs for veterans.
Veterans Expeditions – Salida
Veterans Expeditions is a veteran-led, chartered non-profit that functions as an outdoor community to leverage veteran leadership skills and reconnect service members to one another as well as outdoor opportunities.
Veterans to Farmers – Denver
With the mission of turning protectors into providers, the Veterans to Farmers (VTF) program trains veterans in agricultural systems, technologies and business operations.
Warriors Write – Loveland
Created by Heart-J Center for Experiential Learning, Warriors Write is a creativity and wellness program for female veterans.
VETERANS EVENTS AND BENEFITS
SongwritingWith:Soldiers – Loveland - Oct. 26-28, 2018
Hosted by the Heart-J Center for Experiential Learning, SongwritingWith:Soldiers operates from a simple principle — pair veterans and active-duty service members with professional songwriters to craft songs about their military experiences.
2018 VetFest – Castle Rock – Oct. 27, 2018
Presented by the Douglas County Veterans Monument Foundation, VetFest is a 5K and 10K race and street party in downtown Castle Rock.
2018 Colorado Springs Veterans Day Parade – Nov. 3, 2018
Starting back in 2000, the Veterans Day Parade continues to be a wonderful tradition for the City of Colorado Springs. Individual veterans, veterans groups, Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC), marching bands, scouts and high schools are welcome to participate in the parade.
4th Annual Veterans Tribute – Loveland – Nov. 4, 2018
This annual event includes a resource fair, children’s choir, Military displays and family fun activities. Participants are encouraged to register in advance.
Veterans Day Concert – Wellington – Nov. 10, 2018
The Wellington Community Band will be honoring Veterans of the Armed Forces at their annual Veterans Day Concert.
Denver Veterans Day Parade – Nov. 10, 2018
The parade is broken down into serials that represent a different conflict in military history: Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI, WWII, etc. A festival will follow the parade and will include music, vendors, family-friendly activities and more.
Veterans Day Ceremony – Broomfield – Nov. 12, 2018
This annual ceremony honors and celebrates the service of past veterans and current military personnel with speeches, song and tributes.
Glass Poppy Display to Commemorate 100th Anniversary of WWI Armistice and Veterans Day – Denver – Oct. 20 to Nov. 11
Glass poppies, created by soldiers and veterans, will be displayed at Denver Botanic Gardens in partnership with Denver’s Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War I armistice and to honor the 1,290 Colorado military members who died during the war.
January Military Month - Crested Butte Mountain Resort – Jan. 4 to Feb. 7, 2019
All active, disabled and retired military members and their dependents are invited to experience the mountain with discounts around the resort including $59 lift tickets, $35 lessons through the Adaptive Sports Center and lodging rates starting at $125 per night.
Westin Riverfront’s 10th Mountain Division Ski Trooper Experience – Vail – Jan. 18-21, 2019
The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avon, Vail Valley is excited to host an exclusive ski weekend with professional skier Chris Anthony to celebrate and explore the incredible history of Colorado’s 10th Mountain Division Ski Troopers, who transformed the U.S. ski industry after World War II.
VETERANS DAY SPECIALS AND DISCOUNTS
Discounted stay for veterans at Silver King Inn & Suites – Leadville
The Silver King Inn & Suites in downtown Leadville is offering 15 percent off rooms from Nov. 9-12, and all veterans receive free pool passes to the Lake County Aquatic Center.
Free admission for veterans to all Colorado State Parks – Statewide
The State of Colorado is pleased to offer veterans free admission to all state parks on Nov. 11. Additionally, Colorado residents with current Colorado Disabled Veterans license plates may access Colorado state parks free of entry fees throughout the year.
Free admission for veterans at History Colorado Center – Denver
History Colorado Center offers free admission for veterans on Veterans Day and will also waive entry fee for up to five family members. Additionally, History Colorado offers half-off memberships for veterans and those with a valid military ID.
Free entry to Denver Botanic Gardens for veterans – Denver
Active military members and veterans receive free admission to the Gardens’ York Street and Chatfield Farms locations on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
Free entry to Pikes Peak for veterans – Colorado Springs
Pikes Peak - America's Mountain is pleased to offer free admission for all that have served including retired and active duty military with ID on Veterans Day.
Free or Discounted Meals for veterans – Blackhawk
Several Blackhawk casinos offer free or discounted meals to veterans during Veterans Day weekend. Participating casinos include Gilpin Casino, Ameristar Casino Resort and Spa and The Lodge Casino.
COLORADO MILITARY MUSEUMS, MEMORIALS AND HISTORICAL SITES
Camp Hale and Cooper Hill – Eagle County
In 1942, the U.S. Army created the 10th Mountain Division and selected Camp Hale & Cooper Hill (now Ski Cooper), located at 11,700 feet, as the Division's training site. Ski Cooper is the 6th oldest ski hill in Colorado, and visitors ski the same slopes that the 10th Mountain Division did in the 1940s, when they trained for World War II battles in Europe.
Colorado Freedom Memorial – Aurora
Located near Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, the Colorado Freedom Memorial is constructed of glass panels and lists the names of more than 6,000 Coloradans killed or missing in action. It is the first memorial in the U.S. dedicated to all wars, all branches of service and listing names of all those who died from a single state in those wars.
Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum Hall of Fame Honors the 10th Mountain Division – Vail
Vail is home to the recently renovated Colorado Ski and Snowboard Museum that houses the Legacy of the 10th Mountain Division exhibit. This exhibit highlights the 10th Mountain Division, the famous “soldiers on skis” who fought in Italy’s mountains during World War II.
Corridor of Honor Military Memorial – Bennett
According to the town of Bennett, this multi-flag memorial was built to be a place where friends and family who reside along the I-70 corridor and throughout the region can visit and reflect on the service of veterans and current military members.
Fort Garland Museum – Fort Garland
Established in 1858 in southern Colorado, Fort Garland, with its garrison of over 100 men, served to protect the earliest settlers in the San Luis Valley. Today visitors can walk the parade ground of the fort and tour the adobe buildings, which feature a re-creation of the commandant's quarters during Kit Carson's time.
National Museum of WWII Aviation – Colorado Springs
The National Museum of World War II Aviation is located on a 20-acre campus on the northwest side of the Colorado Springs Airport. Officially recognized by Congress in 2018, the museum includes more than 3,000 artifacts and historical documents from World War II.
The 10th Mountain Division Huts – Colorado
The 10th Mountain Division Huts is a nonprofit organization that manages a system of 34 backcountry huts in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, connected by 350 miles of suggested routes. Some of the huts are named after 10th Mountain Division soldiers, and visitors can learn about these soldiers and their stories within the huts.
Peterson Air and Space Museum – Colorado Springs
The Peterson Air and Space Museum is the longest-standing aviation museum in the state. Located on Peterson Air Force Base, the museum offers daily, guided tours of the historical exhibits and living history experiences.
United States Air Force Academy – Colorado Springs
This higher-education facility offers research laboratories, athletic and military training facilities, a student-run radio station, visitor programs, and publicly accessible trails for hikers, bikers and equestrians. The academy’s landmark chapel is an architectural statement recognized across the country.
Wings Over the Rockies – Denver
Located on the former Lowry Air Force base, the original site of the United States Air Force Academy, the museum offers aircraft and aerospace exhibits, a research library, annual events, educational programs and summer camps.
###