Purple Heart recipients invited to special day in their honor

Florida's heroes can take part in first-ever 'Purple Heart Day' event Aug. 7

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – It's the first-ever Florida event, arranged specifically to honor members of the military who have been awarded for their valor after being wounded in combat.

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam has announced "Purple Heart Day" for Aug. 7, and invites Purple Heart recipients and their families to participate in a day of activities at Camp Prairie in Lake Wales, Fla.

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The event is part of the state's Operation Outdoor Freedom program and will include barbecue and rides on an airboat and a swamp buggy. 

“Operation Outdoor Freedom is one small way we can give back to the veterans who have sacrificed so much for our freedom,” said Putnam. “I'm proud to host a Purple Heart Day event for the first time during this program to honor our nation's Purple Heart recipients.”

Interested Purple Heart recipients need to RSVP by Thursday, Aug. 3, by emailing OperationOutdoorFreedom@FreshFromFlorida.com

Since Operation Outdoor Freedom was launched in 2011, the program has hosted more than 3,000 wounded veterans on more than 400 outdoor events, such as guided alligator hunts, deer and hog hunts, quail and turkey hunts, freshwater fishing, canoeing and more.

Wounded veterans participate in these events on state forests, private lands and along the state's coast, and the excursions are funded through private donations. Camp Prairie, a first-of-its-kind camp, consists of a fully equipped campground with sleeping facilities, a screened kitchen, pavilion, dining area and restroom facility.

The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates in 2016, there were an estimated 1.5 million veterans living in the state of Florida.