Members of the Army National Guard unit returned home a couple of months ago from a year-long deployment to Afghanistan. They will be honored at Lakeshore Mall with a number of activities and the presentation of a special award to the unit commander from Patriot's Call.
Ron Kellner of Patriot's Call says they'll march to the mall starting at about 9:50 from their armory on Alta Vista Road. The unit will march with escorts - including a band - along Alta Vista Road to John Morrow Parkway and onto Pearl Nix Parkway to the mall. These streets will be closed to through traffic starting at 9:30, according to Kellner, who said spectators are urged to be in place by 9:30 and line the route with "red, white, and blue."
Kellner said the activities at the mall are expected to get underway at 10:00 and last about "one to one-and-a-half hours."
Following the activities at the mall, Charlie Company will march back to the armory but will use a different route. They will head up Pearl Nix from the mall and return to the armory by way of Jones Street.
Kellner said once they get to the armory, Patriot's Call will "feed them" and hold a job fair for them.
Patriot's Call is also offering its support to members of the 802nd Ordnance Company, an Army Reserve unit from Gainesville, which is in the middle of a one-year deployment to Afghanistan.
So, in addition to the activities at the mall directly related to the welcome home for Charlie Company, Patriot's Call will have a table set up at which individuals and companies can sign up to offer services to the families of those reservists. Examples of the kinds of services they are looking for include doctors, dentists, plumbers, mechanics, lawyers, etc. Monetary donations will also be accepted.
Members of Charlie Co. posed for this picture as they left Gainesville for their deployment on March 30, 2009.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/6/230231