Miami Beach Mayor Meiner Announces Veteran Tribute Project
A four-day digital campaign will display letters of gratitude on the Betsy Orb and culminate in a medal ceremony for a local veteran.
By Aiko Soto ·
Miami Beach will project electronic messages of gratitude onto the Betsy Orb from Nov. 7 to Nov. 10 to honor military veterans ahead of the national holiday. The City of Miami Beach is partnering with VFW Post 3559 and a technology platform called Badger to execute this campaign. The initiative is designed to allow residents and visitors to send written notes and short videos to service members.
The campaign opens on Saturday, Nov. 7, with a live bugler playing "Retreat" at 5:30 p.m. outside The Betsy Hotel at 1440 Ocean Drive. This sound will broadcast simultaneously to locations on Lincoln Road and Pennsylvania Avenue, as well as 73 Street and Ocean Terrace in North Beach. A recording of the bugle call will replay at the same time at all three locations on the following three evenings.
The visual component of the event centers on the Betsy Orb, a spherical skybridge connecting The Betsy to the former Carlton Hotel. Projections of the submitted messages will run from 6:40 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Nov. 7. For the remaining nights of the event, the displays will operate from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Mayor Steven Meiner stated that the program serves as a reminder that freedom requires sacrifice and that veterans are owed a debt of gratitude.
A specific ceremony will take place on Nov. 7 inside The Betsy to honor USAF Sgt. James E. Anderson. Anderson is a Miami Beach resident and Vietnam War veteran who lost his service medals during his return trip from Da Nang to Philadelphia approximately 50 years ago. U.S. Air Force Col. Wesley Hales of U.S. Southern Command will present Anderson with a new set of medals at the invitation-only event. Anderson recently received a 100% disability rating for lung injuries sustained during his service.
The project is powered by Badger, a platform developed by Alex Kruger-Dobrota, a Miami Beach Marine veteran. Kruger-Dobrota created the tool to connect civilians with veterans through shared experiences. The platform allows a handwritten note or video to travel from anywhere to a recipient. Kruger-Dobrota aims to make the program an annual national initiative and is currently expanding its reach through the VFW Department of Florida, which hosts the live feed for posts across the state and its 54,000 combat veteran members.
The public can also view a short documentary titled "Nothing Can Be Done, But Something Can Be Said" during the event. Screenings are scheduled for 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Nov. 7 inside The Betsy. The film was created in partnership with The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus and features poetry and World War II letters. The title references a poem by Hyam Plutzik, a three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and World War II veteran whose legacy inspires the hotel's community programs.
Residents and visitors can upload gratitude videos or images of handwritten letters to the campaign website between Nov. 2 and Nov. 10. The city also plans to host its 18th annual Veterans Day parade on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 11:11 a.m. This parade is the largest in South Florida and will travel down Ocean Drive from 5 to 15 streets. The route will feature veteran groups, marching bands, and local community organizations.
