As the first Purple Heart Capital City in the nation, Tallahassee will celebrate Florida Purple Heart Day on Thursday, August 7, with the unveiling of a custom designed bus at 10 a.m. at C.K. Steele Plaza, 111 W. Tennessee St. As an additional tribute to veterans, StarMetro will offer free bus rides on its fixed routes for everyone all day on August 7.Everyone is encouraged to show their support of veterans that day by wearing purple.
The new design on the StarMetro bus showcases 12 local Purple Heart recipients. These honorees represent all major United States military conflicts and more than 400 local Purple Heart recipients. They were chosen by Tallahassee’s Chapter 758 Military Order of the Purple Heart. The Military Order of the Purple Heart, formed in 1932, is the only veterans’ service organization comprised strictly of combat veterans. The public is invited to join City officials, community leaders and military dignitaries for the unveiling ceremony.
“I’m proud that StarMetro is providing free bus service to my fellow veterans and the entire community in support of Purple Heart Day,” Mayor John Marks said. “In addition, the new custom designed bus will serve as a visual reminder for all of us to honor not only those Purple Heart heroes but all the men and women who have valiantly served our country.”
The Purple Heart bus will be on display in front of City Hall, 300 S. Adams St., from 3-8 p.m. on August 20 as part of a formal Purple Heart commemorative presentation that will take place at 4 p.m. during the Tallahassee City Commission meeting. The presentation will include a proclamation by Mayor Marks recognizing the City of Tallahassee as a “Purple Heart Capital City” for the third consecutive year.
Throughout the month, the bus will be stationed at key locations and local memorial sites from 8-10 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. Please visit Talgov.com/StarMetro for the full schedule.
In 2012, the Florida Senate and House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation establishing August 7 as Purple Heart Day in Florida. The Purple Heart is our nation’s oldest military medal, first created by General George Washington in 1782 and then known as the Badge of Military Merit. It is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving in any capacity with one of the U.S. Armed Services, has been wounded or killed.
For more information about StarMetro, visit Talgov.com/StarMetro or call StarMetro’s main office at 891-5200. Other ways to view information include liking StarMetro’s official Facebook page at Facebook.com/starmetrotransit or following @RideStarMetro on Twitter.
