May 25, 2011 - Edison & Ford Winter Estates Celebrates Memorial Day with Free Admission to Veterans
Fort Myers, Fl (May 25, 2011) - The Edison & Ford Winter Estates will honor veterans and their families with FREE ADMISSION on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30 from 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. The annual event includes free admission and veterans will receive a discount on items in the Museum Stores. Active military are admitted FREE to the Estates year round.
Veterans will enjoy seeing more than $12 million in award winning restoration at the Estates which includes the winter homes and gardens of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, their botanical laboratory, antique car collections and hundreds of inventions in the Estates Museum. Gallery demonstrations and continuous showing of films are also included in a Museum visit.
Veterans must present a VA identification card or their DD214 papers to receive free admission. Current servicemen and women may also gain free admission by presenting an active military ID.
In addition, a United States Navy “memorial table” has been recreated to honor those service men and women who are POW’s, MIAs and those who lost their lives in service. The “memorial table” is smaller, honoring prisoners of war who stood alone and includes:
• A white tablecloth representing the purity of a soldiers response to our country's call
• An empty chair depicting an unknown face, representing no specific Soldier, Sailor, Marine or Airman, but all who are not here with us.
• The smaller table is round to show that concern for soldiers is never ending.
• A black napkin representing the emptiness the soldiers have left in the hearts of their families and friends.
• A single red rose reminding Americans of their families and loved ones; and a red ribbon representing the love of country, which inspired soldiers to answer the nation's call.
• A yellow candle and yellow ribbon symbolizing the everlasting hope for a joyous reunion with those yet unaccounted for.
• Slices of lemon on a bread plate reminding us of bitter fate.
• Salt on the bread plate representing the tears of their families.
• A wine glass turned upside down reminding us that our distinguished soldiers cannot be with their friends and family to drink a toast.
Join the Estates in honoring servicemen and women on Memorial Day.
The Estates is open daily from 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. The Estates is the winner of the 2009 National Stewardship Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and is an official project of “Save America’s Treasures” at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a Florida Historic Landmark and a National Register Historic Site. For additional information call 239-334-7419 or visit the web site at www.edisonfordwinterestates.org.
