Turlock High School’s Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) program will host its 2nd Annual Military Veterans Ball. The dinner will honor veterans from Stanislaus County from every branch of the military.
The NJROTC is a cadet-run program that is funded by the United States Navy. It dedicates its time to teaching high school students the importance of leadership, teamwork, and citizenship in military and nonmilitary operations. It is taught by instructors who are retired Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard officers, as well as enlisted personnel.
The Military Veterans Ball will be held on Nov. 7, at 5 p.m., in the Turlock War Memorial, located at 247 East Canal Drive. A silent auction will be held during the first hour, with the opening ceremony and dinner beginning at 6 p.m. Following dinner will be a dance, starting at 8 p.m.
“The program hosting the ball is great,” said Major Kelly Cross, an instructor in Turlock High’s NJROTC program. “It’s not a fundraiser, but a great way for us to honor and pay respects to our veterans in the community.”
One of the most important events during the Military Veterans Ball is the cake cutting ceremony taking place.
“The cake cutting ceremony is big,” Major Cross said. “We have a cake for each branch of military. We have it set to be an old veteran and a younger one. That way, it is like the old feeding the new and the new feeding the old.”
Tickets are available for $35 each or a 10-seat table can be purchased for $300. If a table is purchased, it would include two seats for NJROTC cadets who cannot afford a ticket. World War II Veterans are free.
Attendees are asked to wear semi-formal attire or military dress uniforms.
For more information, to purchase tickets, or reserve a table, contact Major Kelly D Cross at kcross@turlock.k12.ca.us or Lt. Cmdr. Carlos Montanez at cmontanez@turlockk12.ca.us.
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