by Mark McDermott
The Rotary Club’s motto is “Service above self.” And so in 2018, when the Manhattan Beach Rotary Club launched a new signature event, the intent was to honor those who have lived by this motto, military veterans and first responders.
VetFest, which is co-organized by the Rotary Club and Kinecta Credit Union, will celebrate its sixth year when the event takes place on November 8. The event features BBQ, music by Joe’s Band and the Pine Mountain Logs, beers from local breweries, food trucks, Fresh Brothers pizza, a fun zone for children, and a flyover by the Condor Squadron.
The flyover, which was a surprise at last year’s event, features vintage aircraft. The Condor Squadron this week flew over the World Series at Dodger Stadium.
Rotarian Tim Hageman, who is both an Air Force veteran and a former MBPD police officer, said the festival has become a passion project for himself and the other organizers.
“Not just because I’m former military and 33 years in law enforcement,” Hageman said. “It’s a passion because of what we can do to recognize the first responders and the veterans who give so much, selflessly. They sacrifice so much … .We honor them one day a year, and honestly, in my opinion, we need to recognize them for what they do every day, because they’re doing it every day. But if there’s one day we can do it, we might as well give them a party and do the best we can to recognize them.”
Hageman said the passion that drives the event is also about the families of those who serve.
“We need to think about the families, how much they sacrifice — the kids, the spouses, their parents, their siblings,” he said. “Because they’re gone, and they’re in danger. It’s just a passion for me, because I’ve seen it firsthand.”
The Manhattan Beach Rotary Club celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. VetFest represented a doubling down of sorts on its commitment to community service and civic engagement. The event first came about when Kinecta CEO and president Keith Sultemeier, who is also a Rotarian, was brainstorming with other club members and struck upon the idea of honoring veterans and first responders.
“Rotary’s motto is service above self,” Sultemeier said, speaking in a video documenting last year’s VetFest. “There’s no group of Americans that represent service above self [more] than our soldiers and our first responders. Kinecta is a community institution. This is a special group. So we really wanted to go big for it, Rotary and Kinecta, and made a partnership. And it has just run from there.”
Mayor David Lesser said the event has become one of the city’s most meaningful and fun gatherings.
“I am grateful to the Manhattan Beach Rotary and its sponsors for organizing the sixth annual VetFest to honor and recognize veterans and first responders,” he said. “Music, food, dancing, and a kids’ zone — it is a terrific event to celebrate our nation’s veterans, first responders, and their families.”
VetFest takes place each year on the Saturday before Veterans Day. Kinecta both hosts the event in its parking lot alongside Rosecrans Avenue, and provides a lion’s share of its funding (as well as its very own ice cream truck). VetFest is a party, but also a party with a cause. The event raises money for veteran-related non-profit organizations like Operation Mend (UCLA), Team Rubicon, Pin Up for Vets, and the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation. Some of those organizations, such as Operation Mend, will have booths at the fest.
“Operation Mend is out of UCLA, and they do surgeries on veterans, soldiers who’ve had catastrophic injuries, such as loss of limbs,” Hageman said. “It’s a great organization.”
While the fundraising is significant, perhaps the greatest benefit the day provides is the opportunity for veterans and first responders to not only feel the community’s appreciation, but to connect with one another.
“Four of my best years were in the military,” Hageman said. “I will say, as we are all getting older, so are the veterans. We don’t really have any WWII veterans at the festival any more — I am not saying we haven’t in the past, but if we have, they’ve been very few, and the same goes for Korea veterans. However, we have a fair number of Vietnam veterans. The Vietnam Veterans South Bay chapter, they usually come out in full force. We’ve just connected with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the South Bay chapter in Redondo Beach, so they’re going to be there as well. The veterans all connect. And it’s nice to see the Vietnam veterans interact with some of the younger veterans, from Afghanistan or Iraq, and even those currently serving that have never been overseas who come to the event.”
Last year about 850 people attended VetFest. Word has spread among veterans that something special occurs at the event. Vietnam veteran Steve Crecy, in the video shot at last year’s VetFest, said he and his fellow vets deeply appreciate the gathering that occurs in their honor.
“I went to Vietnam for one year,” he said. “I was a Specialist IV at the end of it. I’m the secretary of Vietnam Vets of America, the South Bay chapter. So one of our members who lives nearby Hawthorne told me, ‘Get over here. You got to get over here. You won’t believe this.’ The band was rocking, the beers were out, and it was very grateful. We’re very grateful to be here. We feel really honored to be here.”
VetFest takes place from noon to 5 p.m. November 8 at 1440 Rosecrans Avenue. Veterans, first responders, and those under 18 attend free of charge. Tickets are $60. Beer and wine sponsors include Rock & Brews, Culture Brewing, Hermosa Beach Brewing, Sugar Monkey Brewing, Hopsaint Brewing, Common Space Brewery, Los Angeles Ale Works, Uncorked Wine Shops, Ciento Cellars, Dragonette Winery, and OBs Pub and Grill. Lemonade sponsor is Raising Cain’s, and food sponsors are Fresh Brothers and Kinecta. Skechers is also a community sponsor. See RotaryVetFest.com for tickets and more information. ER
