Orlando VA Healthcare System to Host Memorial Day Ceremony Friday, May 26, 2023

The event will be held at Memorial Park, located at the Orlando VA Medical Center in Lake Nona, Orlando, Fla. The ceremony is taking place to commemorate the nation's fallen service members who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Mr. Edward J. Lyons III, Director of the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery, will be the keynote speaker. Mr. Lyons is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) Infantry Combat Veteran and served in Operation Enduring Freedom.

Everyone is welcome to attend. In addition to our keynote speaker, community participants from the OVAHCS executive leaders, Central Florida Veterans Memorial Park Foundation, the Sea Cadets, Lake Nona Veteran’s Council, Orlando Veterans Advisory Board, Congressman Darren Soto’s office, and others will be assisting with the facilitation of the ceremony.

“As we recognize Memorial Day, we pause to remember, honor, and express our gratitude to all Veterans who lost their lives in uniform,” said OVAHCS Director, Mr. Timothy J. Cooke. “At the Orlando VA Healthcare System, we observe Memorial Day and reflect on the lives of the men and women whose sacrifices allow us to flourish as individuals and as a Nation.”

Parking for the event will be made available in the east and west parking garages, and in any available parking spots located in the south parking lot near the emergency room. Attendees are asked to refrain from parking in the Community Living Center and Domiciliary parking lots. In addition, Golf cart shuttles will be operating to assist with transporting attendees to and from the ground floor of both the east and west parking garages.

Media representatives interested in attending are encouraged to contact the Office of Public Affairs by emailing vhaorlpublicaffairs@va.gov or by calling 407-840-6967.

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Established in October 2006, the Orlando VA Healthcare System (VAHCS) was designated a 1a facility (most complex) in 2021, with more than 5,660 employees and an annual budget of $1.5B and serves more than 131,000 Veterans in Central Florida.

The Orlando VA Medical Center at Lake Nona provides outpatient, inpatient and emergency services. Lake Nona’s 65-acre medical campus encompasses 134 acute inpatient beds, providing complex Medical/Surgical/Mental Health specialty care, advanced diagnostic services, and a large multispecialty outpatient clinic as well as a 120-bed Community Living Center, two Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs/Domiciliaries (60-beds located at the Lake Nona Campus and 58-beds at the Lake Baldwin Campus). Outpatient services are provided at a Health Care Center in Viera, a Multispecialty Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Daytona Beach, and five Community-Based Outpatient Clinics located in Clermont, Kissimmee, Deltona, Palm Bay and Tavares.