The 2025 Freedom Cruise, Honor Ceremony and Patriot Football Game take place this (Friday) evening at Sparta High School.
They will honor veterans and fallen heroes such as Army Sergeant Stephen Ganczewski, who was killed while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Nov. 2007. It was his sixth deployment.
His widow, Sparta native Rachel Ganczewski, will be the recipient at the Honors Ceremony, according to event organizer Tom Antor.
"We're honoring her today and letting her know we're not going to forget. And this portrait that we had specially commissioned is absolutely stunning," Antor said on West Michigan Live.
The ceremony gets underway at 5:30 p.m., but Antor told WOOD Radio that free hotdogs will be served beginning about an hour before it begins.
"Follow the bagpipers into the building and watch one of the most incredible ceremonies you're ever going to see. It will change your life," Antor said.
The Patriot Football Game will follow.
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