In conjunction with the announcement of our new Veteran’s Hiring Initiative at last November’s NLC City Summit in Los Angeles, we invited cities to submit photos honoring veterans via Twitter to our Utility Service Partners account. To enter the Heroes In My City Sweepstakes, city officials were asked to take a selfie at veteran-themed location in their city or one honoring a veteran in their city, and tweet it with the hashtags “#USPSweepsEntry” and “#HeroesInMyCity.” The winner received $4,000 to donate to a veteran’s organization of their choice. We received some great entries and are so gratified to see cities honoring their veterans.
Here are a few examples:
And the winner is… The City of Temecula, California!
These photos were taken at the ribbon cutting in September for the opening of a new Naval Branch Health Clinic that will improve the lives of service members and their families in the area. The TRICARE Outpatient Clinic — Naval Branch Health Clinic Temecula is honoring veterans by offering family practice medicine, a pharmacy, a laboratory for blood work and other needs and will soon offer physical therapy.
The area has a large number of military families. Before the clinic’s opening, active duty service members and their families had to either drive to Camp Pendleton (20 miles away) or San Diego (58 miles away) for medical services. When fully operational, the facility will service over 9,500 patients.
“We are honored to have so many military families reside in Temecula, and this health clinic will provide important services to these exemplary citizens,” said James “Stew” Stewart, Mayor Pro Tem. “Thank you to HomeServe for helping Temecula-area veterans!”
The City of Temecula has numerous programs to honor and assist military personnel and veterans. The City’s website has a special section dedicated to information about these special initiatives, which include scholarship programs, dedicated parking for purple heart recipients, a banner program to recognize active duty personnel, and more. For more information, visit Adopted Armed Forces Veterans.
The City has chosen American Patriot Music Project as the recipient of the $4,000 prize. This Temecula-based non-profit, comprised of the award-winning signature band AMERICAN PATRIOT, provides music program support to veterans and first responders. The band works with veterans and first responders on and off stage, supporting a variety of music projects designed to create a positive influence in the lives of our nation’s heroes who need help. For more information visit American Patriot Music.