Veterans Honored at Gala Valentines Concert

WINCHESTER, CA--(Marketwired - Jan 30, 2014) -  National nonprofit organization Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV) in cooperation with Soldier's Wish and the Yavapai County Community Foundation will host a gala Valentines for Veterans Salute to America's Veterans Concert on February 13, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. at the Yavapai College Performance Hall in Prescott, Arizona.

The event is part of HHV's national Concert initiative, which is designed to show respect and appreciation to America's veterans and Gold Star families and encourage citizens to volunteer at community hospitals and medical centers.

"HHV has hosted more than 60 veterans appreciation Concerts over the last five years and we are honored to once again host this year's annual Concert series," said The Honorable John M. Meagher, chairman of the HHV board of directors. "These Concerts are doing more than entertaining our veterans and their families," Meagher added. "They are becoming a valuable platform from which HHV is able to encourage citizens to volunteer."

HHV has helped recruit over a thousand new volunteers over the last five years -- directly through the Concerts. These folks are now serving our veterans in hospitals, state veterans homes and medical centers across the country.

Adding to the significance of the concert event, national nonprofit organization Soldier's Wish will be gifting a "wish" to a deserving local Prescott-area veteran during the evening's festivities.

The Concert will feature legendary R&B artists The Chi-Lites and pop oldies icons Gary Lewis and The Playboys.

The Chi-Lites, whose singles "Oh Girl" and "Have You Seen Her" reached number one on the R&B charts, are still popular today with artists such as Beyoncé and Jay Z. Gary Lewis and The Playboys, who were discovered while performing at Disneyland in 1964, became an overnight sensation with their hit song "This Diamond Ring." Gary Lewis is a U.S. Army Vietnam veteran and son of famed actor and comedian Jerry Lewis.

The Concerts are free. "Our veterans and their families have already paid the price through their service and sacrifice for our country," Meagher said. "We are very grateful to our sponsors as well as those directly involved with putting this event together."

Since 1971, Help Hospitalized Veterans has put over 28 million therapeutic arts and crafts kits into the hands of veterans receiving healthcare worldwide, and is the founding sponsor of the national Valentines for Veterans Concert Series. U.S. military veterans are encouraged to apply for free at-home craft kit delivery, as part of HHV's Patient Home Rehabilitation program. Veterans are also encouraged to visit HHV's new Community Based Crafts centers in Grand Junction, Colorado; Temple, Texas; Bay Pines, Florida and Chicago, Illinois.

For more concert information or information about HHV visit HHV.org or call toll-free (888) 567-VETS.