An exterior view of Allegiant Stadium, home to Super Bowl LVIII, is shown Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024.
Saturday, June 8, 2024 | 2 a.m.
Peter Palivos and Bob Maxwell from Voice of the Veteran were sitting at the 50-yard line inside Allegiant Stadium for a Raiders game when Palivos started brainstorming.
“I have this dream I want to share with you,” Palivos recalled telling Maxwell. “I want to give back. Let’s fill this stadium with veterans and their families. Let’s find heroes and honor them.”
That dream is now a reality.
The event, dubbed “Day of Gratitude,” will bring 17,000 veterans, military members and their families to Allegiant Stadium today for a celebration that’s being billed as the largest appreciation event for veterans in Nevada history.
There will be a little of everything: A U.S. military bronze medal ceremony, concerts by the Grammy-nominated artists Walker Hayes and Danny Gokey, a play zone for kids on the field, meet and greet with Raiders players, and over $3 million in gifts.
There will also be booths with vendors offering services for health screenings, mental health services, home buying, disability benefits and signing up for veterans affairs.
Voice of the Veteran partnered with CityServe, a nonprofit organization that helps churches around the world reach the needs of communities. The group in 2022 said it distributed $126 million worth of goods to 2.5 million people.
“With wars being fought in Ukraine and Gaza, it’s critically important that all our service members — veterans, active duty, and their spouses and children — realize they are loved, cherished and appreciated,” CityServe CEO Dave Donaldson said in a statement to the Sun. “We must never forget our freedoms were bought at a very dear price. That cost was paid in full by our brave heroes in uniform, and that’s why we’re so excited to honor their sacrifice.”
The event, Palivos and Maxwell said, wouldn’t be possible without the Raiders.
Palivos said he approached Raiders President Sandra Douglass Morgan to pitch the idea and ask for access to the stadium at no charge. Douglass Morgan, whose father is an Air Force veteran, vouched for the concept with Raiders owner Mark Davis.
Organizers are so appreciative of Davis giving them access to the stadium that they are awarding him with the veteran community leadership medal during the event. Palivos said medals will also go to Shelley Berkley, the former member of Congress from Nevada who was instrumental in securing funding to build a new VA hospital in North Las Vegas, and Purple Heart recipient Dan Kamanao.
One of the event’s highlights will be the Bronze Star ceremonies for Capt. Connor Reilly, Sgt. Manuel Terrazas and Sgt. William Leonard from Nellis Air Force Base. Sgt. Frank Digiovanni of the Nevada National Guard is receiving the Combat Action Badge.
“We live in the greatest country in the world,” Palivos said. “This event is about bringing our community together around one thing: love of country.”
The event is so anticipated that Zaneta Inez Adams, the deputy assistant secretary for intergovernmental affairs for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, is traveling in from Washington, D.C., to address attendees. Nevada Democratic U.S. Reps. Steven Horsford and Dina Titus will speak, as will and Republican Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony.
Veterans who served in wars spanning World War II to the War in Afghanistan will attend. Registration is at capacity and closed.
“We keep getting calls from (veterans) looking to attend, but we hit our capacity,” said Maxwell, founder and CEO of Voice of the Veteran. “We are doing this to honor our nation’s heroes, our veterans and those on active duty who don’t get enough thanks.”
Maxwell remembers Palivos pitching the idea and thinking, “you are crazy as hell.” Two years later, that craziness has come to fruition.
“For love of country. It’s that simple,” Palivos said. “Any time we can honor a man or woman who has served our country with valor, it makes all of us better.”
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