Second Annual American Heroes Day is Sept. 8 |
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The Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site in Rodanthe will sponsor its second annual American Heroes Day on Saturday, Sept. 8, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Last year’s event was dubbed “a rousing success” and “the best day-long entertainment value on the Outer Banks.” Admission fees are a flat $5 per person. Chicamacomico’s seven-acre site will be filled with equipment and displays of the participants, so parking will be across the street or free parking at the NPS Salvo Day Use Area with free shuttle bus service. Carpooling is encouraged. Chicamacomico was part of the United States Life-Saving Service and was the first station built in North Carolina. The original station, dating from 1874, is still on the site as one of eight buildings belonging to the Chicamacomico Historical Association. The members of the U. S. Life-Saving Service (1871-1915) were the original rescue heroes, the “storm warriors” who made dramatic and heroic rescues of shipwreck victims whose lives were in peril from the sea. In their history, nationwide, their rate of success was 99.2 percent, while their own loss of life, usually under the worst possible conditions, was less than 1 percent. In 1915, this service merged with the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service to form the U. S. Coast Guard, the members of which routinely continue this tradition of heroism.
With that inspiration, Chicamacomico decided to honor and celebrate true American heroes of the past and the present. Participants invited include the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, American Red Cross, State Highway Patrol, local sheriff and police departments, local Emergency Medical Services units and ocean rescue squads, National Park Service, and many others. Equipment on display will include fire engines, ambulances, police cars, helicopters, rescue boats, highway maintenance machines, electric company bucket truck (which will give rides), and others.  There
will be numerous displays, demonstrations, and exhibits, as well as
hands-on activities and participation events. Food and drink
concessions will be available, including soft drinks, water, fresh
pizza from Lisa’s Pizzeria , and North Carolina barbecue, grilled
chicken, pork ribs, hot dogs, and hamburgers from Bubba’s BBQ.The date of the event was chosen specifically because Congress has fittingly designated Sept. 11 as Patriot Day, so this event will always be the Saturday closest to Sept. 11. In addition to the Heroes Day celebration, Ocracoke’s Molasses Creek will make a special appearance to help the historic site raise funds to repair the 1874 boathouse, which took a direct lightning strike on Aug. 10. The band will arrive about noon and interact with the crowd, doing impromptu numbers from time to time. However, starting at 2:30, Molasses Creek will begin a formal concert. The band will be joined by Wilmington-based singer-songwriter John Golden in a lively benefit performance. This last-minute-scheduled concert will be included in the event’s regular admission fee, but donations to the fund will be requested. Johnnie Baum, “the Hatteras Island Poet,” will do a very special rendering of his latest poem entitled “In Return.” It is a tribute to the grand old station and its plight today. Chicamacomico is a private non-profit 501(c)(3) educational living history museum that raises all of its own operating costs. This event is a major fundraiser to help perpetuate the site’s history. “The public will experience a unique event at a unique site, have a great time, and help to fulfill our motto: Honoring Our Heroes ~ Preserving Our Past,” says James Charlet, site manager. For additional information, contact the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station at (252) 987-1552 or e-mail clss@embarqmail.com . Visit the website at www.chicamacomico.net to learn more about the organization and read about last year’s event. 2007 Heroes Day Schedule of Events
10 a.m. Event Opens (All emergency vehicles: sirens on 1 minute, lights on 10 minutes) Possible flyover of Coast Guard C-130 Hercules All Day: Silent auction of unique items donated by participants. 10:30 a.m. USCG Color Guard and Welcoming Remarks Guest Speaker: Lt. Cdr. Dave Obermier, Lt. Commander, USCG Sector North Carolina 11 a.m. USCG SAR (Air Station Elizabeth City and Motor Lifeboat Station Oregon Inlet) 11:30 a.m. USCG fixing water leak demo and USCG Auxiliary vessel safety check demo noon Beach Apparatus Drill (Team USCG Motor Lifeboat Hatteras Inlet) 12:30 p.m. (1) Salvo VFD fire engine demo (2) Chicamacomico Banks VFD engine demo 1 p.m. Water Rescue Demo (Chicamacomico Banks VFD Water Rescue Unit) 1:30 p.m. (1) Dare County EMS demo (2) Dare County Sheriff’s Dept K-9 demo (3) Ocean Rescue demo 2 p.m. Military Flyover (airship requested but not confirmed: US Marines V-22 Osprey) 2:30 p.m. John Golden, singer-songwriter with musical tributes to American heroes 3 p.m. Finale. 2nd NC Continentals, 21 gun salute Possible flyover of Coast Guard C-130 Hercules |
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