Taking care of our heroes

My family's history is steeped in military service. My father-in-law was a Marine Corps captain who served on the USS Forrester supercarrier as an aircraft pilot and my brother-in-law was a lance corporal who served in Beirut.

This Port St. Lucie Magazine issue focuses on some great stories about military service. There was a lot of buzz about a few things and as the suggestions came in, I thought this would be a wonderful issue to talk about the new state VA nursing home, a Navy SEAL who served in Vietnam and U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, who was wounded during a deployment to Afghanistan.

One thing I stand firm on is making sure our veterans are taken care of and the Ardie R. Copas State Veterans Nursing Home in Tradition will do just that when it opens. The story behind the center, which begins on Page 19, is touching. It's good to know there is a place for our local heroes should they need it.

Writer Wendy Dwyer profiles Congressman Brian Mast and his time on and off foreign and legislative battlefields. In the story, which begins on Page 13, Mast recounts that fateful day in Afghanistan when he lost his legs in a roadside explosion. Dwyer also writes about how he and his wife and their four children love living in the area, where he is known for his work to help keep the Treasure Coast waterways pollution free.

There is so much to talk about our military in the area. There is Veterans Memorial Park and the 9/11 Monument at the MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Event Center, where a remembrance ceremony will be held on Sept. 11.

There is also the National SEAL Museum where Capt. Ron Yeaw was reunited, after 45 years, with a Vietnamese interpreter who fought by his side and was wounded along with him in a jungle confrontation. Mary Ann Koenig writes a touching first person remembrance of the Port St. Lucie resident, who died in June. [Page 25].

As most of you know, the city also has some great craft breweries. Bernie Woodall explains how the pubs managed to survive the pandemic, beginning on Page 35. I have been to Side Door Brewing Co. and Hop Life Brewing Co., and if you want to have a special celebration or event these are the places to book them.

We are also launching a wedding page in this issue. We are so excited to feature a wedding at the Port St. Lucie Botanical Gardens. If you haven't visited the gardens, it is a must. We will feature a local wedding in each issue this year.

As we move on to our winter issue, I hope you will be inspired with what we are doing in our pages. We have an exciting season coming up. We love where we live, and we want to cover as much as possible. Please send me a note to the below email for any comments or ideas.

With gratitude,

Kim Capen, Publisher