Second Annual Braveheart Awards Sept. 17 at Wareham Crossing - Wareham, MA on Astini News

The community is encouraged to participate in a ceremony to commemorate the 10^th anniversary of the Sept. 11^th attacks during the Second Annual Braveheart Awards held at Wareham Crossing on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The special ceremony will be a small part of Wareham Crossing's signature Braveheart Awards event.   A small parade led by Wareham Ford vehicles, military personnel, rider-less horses and children will kick off the event at 11 a.m.  

The Braveheart Awards' mission is to honor everyday heroes who have shown courage and compassion, bravely defying the odds to make a difference in other people's lives. These heroes have been nominated by their families, co-workers and friends and will be honored during the event to thank them for their service to community and country. Last year's winners included U.S. Senator Scott Brown, local New Bedford teacher Warley Williams and the Thermometer man, Richard T. Porter. 

The event is also a large-scale collection drive for items for our overseas military to be put in holiday care packages by Cape Cod Cares For Our Troops, a local non-profit organization started in 2005 by then 12-year-old Dylan DeSilva. Last year, Dylan received a Braveheart Award for his work sending more than 10,000 care packages to our members of the military fighting overseas.

Wareham Crossing shoppers are encouraged to participate by bringing or purchasing items from participating merchants such as socks, T-shirts and other much needed items to be sent to the troops. The collection drive will begin on Sept. 10 and conclude on the day of the Braveheart event. Participating retailers include:

· Lowe's- collecting Bug Spray, Duct tape

· L.L. Bean- collecting Lip Balm

· J.C. Penney- collecting white socks, underwear, undershirts

· T.J. Maxx- collecting white socks

· Old Navy- collecting white socks

· Michaels - collecting white socks

· Red Robin - special toiletry bags available for purchase

Lindt, Qdoba, Red Robin and Elements Gym will also be drop-off locations for all items.

Wareham Ford will be an offsite collection location for the donation drive. They are located at 2628 Cranberry Highway

Members of the community are also asked to donate their used cell phones through Cell Phones for Soldiers. Cell Phones for Soldiers was started in 2004 by two teenagers from Norwell and have since collected more than 7.5 million cell phones and provided military personnel with more than 90 million minutes of pre-paid calling cards. Wareham Crossing shoppers can donate used cell phones and phone cards to:

· AT&T

· Best Buy

· Così

· Verizon

· J.C. Penney

The celebration is a family friendly event filled with free activities for adults and children. An exciting concert by the popular band, ENTRAIN, will take place from noon to 2 p.m. Many other activities throughout the day include:

· J.C. Penney will raffle off a signed Tom Brady Patriots football

· Hosted by WAAF's Greg Hill from the Hill-Man Morning Show

· Free samples from Qdoba, Pepsi and Lindt Chocolates

· Army Vehicles including a Black Hawk Helicopter that people will be able to tour

· Horse-drawn wagons

· Artistic face painting by Art on the Spot

· Marion Heath Greeting Cards will host a "Send a Card to a Soldier" table

· Air Force XBOX games

· Fun photo booth

· Free giveaways

· Kids arts and crafts

For more information about the event, visit the website at www.BraveheartAward.com, "like" Wareham Crossing on Facebook at www.facebook.com/warehamcrossing, or email leanne@grmads.com.