The Tampa Bay Chamber hosted 300+ service members at Armature Works on May 16 during its 25th Annual Military Appreciation. The salute, held each May during National Military Appreciation Month, honored the region’s military community, which is home to service members from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Space Force.
“The military community has been part of the fabric of our Tampa Bay community since the 1940’s and has a $3 billion annual impact to the local economy,” said Brian Adcock, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “We thank them for their service to our nation and thank their families for their sacrifices as well.” Adcock, who is the proud grandson of Navy and Army veterans, delivered the official welcome, telling service members in attendance “You are Tampa Bay Treasures! You are all what makes us Military Bay, USA!”
“Tampa Bay has changed dramatically since the inaugural event in 1999, but our commitment and support of Tampa Bay’s military families has not,” said Dr. Bob Rohrlack, President & CEO of the Chamber. “And as we’ve entered year two of our Military Bay, USA trademark, we are raising awareness of this amazing military community and how we, as business leaders, can better support them.” said Rohrlack, who delivered the official thank you from the business community to Colonel Adam Bingham, Commander of the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base.
This year’s salute included food stations paying tribute to the region’s Cuban, Spanish and Italian roots dating back to the turn of the century and Ybor City cigar factories. The aroma of pulled pork, Cuban sandwiches, shrimp & grits and chorizo filled the gathering room of Armature Works. Always a room in motion, from every corner, guests streamed from the raffle area to the caricature artists, cigar rolling table, party photo booth, and meet & greets with a Busch Gardens entertainer on stilts, Miss Tampa and MacDill Air Force Base’s Champa Boom mascot!
For a seventh consecutive year, USAA served as the presenting sponsor and Marcel Blythe, USAA Associate Vice President of Claims Operations, spoke of the company's long-standing commitment to military families in the region and across the nation. Because of the generosity of other local businesses, this year’s raffle – exclusive to service members only – was the biggest one to date. Prizes included airline tickets, autographed sports memorabilia, entrances to local attractions and “staycations” at area hotels and resorts, just to name a few.
