CRESTVIEW — Organizers say after Saturday’s Military Appreciation Recognition Celebration broke attendance — and food consumption — records, they are planning for an even bigger event next year.
“This was the biggest MARC event we have ever had,” founder Bob Lynn said. “It was more than double the crowd. We had more vendors, more music and more businesses involved, and more military than ever before.”
Lynn attributed the increased turnout — which he estimated at 2,500 or more military members, their families and supporters — to increased public awareness of the event and the Crestview Centennial Committee making MARC the group’s May event.
A highlight was the Emerald Coast Young Marines’ recreation of the flag raising at Iwo Jima. The World War II event was captured by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal on Feb. 23, 1945, and recreated by sculptor Felix de Weldon for the Marine Corps War Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.
“The young man who read the narration about the raising and the history of it, would bring a tear to the eye,” Lynn said. “Two Young Marine girls — they couldn’t have been more than 7 or 8 — stood on either side to assure the flag wouldn’t touch the floor.
“Those two girls grabbed that flag as if they were grabbing a million dollars. It was the most precious, stirring thing.”
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview's military appreciation picnic sets attendance record