A new Ocala car show on Sunday gathered vintage vehicles and displayed American flags around every corner in remembrance of those serving or who have served.
The organizers, the Ocala Blue Star Mothers of America, have made it their mission to support and group together all types of mothers with children who are serving or have served in the military.
Former national president Anne Parker said she joined the organization 18 years ago after her daughter went into active duty.
“We are supporting our military,” Parker said. “We support our veterans. And we are there for the families of the fallen, those parents whose children have paid the ultimate price.”
Parker, 73, now maintains the role of president for the Ocala Blue Star Mothers, a newer and smaller Florida chapter that she said consists of about 25 members.
Sunday’s car show at Veterans Memorial Park marked the first event the Ocala mothers hosted, Parker said. She hoped it would spread more awareness and education about veterans and the park.
“We aren't just a coffee club that meets or whatever, we are real mothers whose children are serving you and have served,” she said.
Another Ocala Blue Star Mother, Linda Peterson, mentioned how her family's service has been generational.
“My husband is a veteran. My son is a veteran. They're both Navy veterans. And I have two grandsons in the military. One is in West Point right now and my other one is in the Air Force,” Peterson said.
The 76-year-old described how she has seen communication with active-duty relatives change over time.
“It was very secretive,” she said. “There were no cell phones. If we got a letter once in a while, we were thrilled, but today it's a big difference. It's especially good for the soldiers and sailors and everyone that's in the military right now. They need that closeness to home because they are so distant from everybody, and they don't know that we care.”
Peterson said it’s through events like the car show that she hopes to attract people to visit the Marion County Veterans Park, where the organization recently placed plaques on the Gold Star Mother and Gold Star Wise Monuments, according to Parker, the president.
“Hopefully people will walk through this park and see the documentation of all the wars and the monuments that are attributed to gold star mothers and be amazed,” Peterson said. “You could spend all day just looking at the monuments reading the documentation.”
Peterson said all of the fundraising they supervise goes toward veterans, whether through additions to the park or in the form of care packages.
A variety of military branches were represented at the Ocala car show, including Navy veterans, Air Force veterans and those of particular foreign conflicts like Vietnam veteran Brian Zander, who was accompanied to the event by his blue pickup truck.
Zander, who served for more than 30 years, said he often thinks about the friends he lost in conflict, particularly the helicopter crew he flew with. After the aircraft was shot down, Zander said he was responsible for removing the four bodies.
“There's a lot of friends that I lost over in Vietnam,” he said. “It still bothers me. That I still think about. It was real hard to do that with the guys that I flew with all that time.”
The 75-year-old said while medical obstacles, including multiple tumors and three septic infections, have forced him down, he is determined to get back up and be with his family.
“The last time I was in hospice care, the doctors gave up on me,” he said. “I was down to 130 pounds. And one day I just decided to get up out of the bed and start walking and to get myself better again so I could get home with my wife.”
While his own family has inspired him, Zander said the family at events like the Ocala Blue Star Mother car show continue to encourage him through simple gestures of gratitude.
“I couldn't believe it today,” he said. “All the different guys that were shaking my hand and welcoming me home. I don't get that normally, you know, it's really something to get that. I'm really happy I came today.”