Here are some photos during this year’s annual Vets Fest event, which took place on August 14 at Altoona’s Unter Uns Musical & Entertainment Society. Many of the photos are mine, except the pictures of the Backyard Rockers and Anna Oberneder courtesy of Bill Hocherl and Tara Lynn (thanks to both of you!).
This was an excellent event, and it was great to see another large turnout of folks to support area veterans via the Vietnam Veterans of America Blair County Chapter 967! The music was great from start to finish, with performances from Anna (who led off the afternoon with her rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner,” and performed two other songs on acoustic guitar later on), the Backyard Rockers (thanks again to John McKelvey for sitting in with us on a song, and we eagerly await the return of our bandmate Mo Yon when he is feeling better), The Stiffs (the new original rock project featuring John McKelvey, Lane Williamson, Tom Brown, Craig Albright, Dave Ebersole and Rick Guyer), Bone Jacked (again delivering strong, straight-up-the-gut rock’n’roll), surprise guests Hanna Barakat and Lisa Fazenbaker (playing a quick acoustic set before they return to their home base of Austin, Texas), Felix & the Hurricanes (starting and ending their set in a patriotic vein with Charlie Daniels’ “In America” and SSGT Barry Sadler’s “The Ballad of the Green Berets” respectively, and filling the dance floor with Category 5 rock’n’roll in between), and Autumn Rising (Autumn belted the fiery voice and she and band packed the dance floor).
Also happening were the basket raffle, lottery tree and 50/50 drawings, guest speakers, an onstage group photo of all the veterans in attendance, food and refreshments, a kids play area and more – and it was all under the pavilion roof, so nobody got wet when the rains arrived!
When all was said and done, $4,319 was raised to help out area veterans! Hats off to organizers Debbie Osborn, Bill Hocherl and all the volunteers who made this event happen, the Unter Uns and their staff, all the musical performers, Don Osborn for keeping the music sounding good throughout the day, the Vietnam Veterans of America Blair County Chapter 967, all the people and businesses who donated baskets, the bartenders and food crew, and everybody who came out to support Vets Fest!
