As the countdown hits zero, a star-studded lineup including Bounty Killer, Tarrus Riley, Agent Sasco, Tessanne Chin, Jermaine Edwards and Dean Fraser will come together for the Veterans for Veterans concert on Saturday, November 13. The virtual event will be the main donation drive for the National Poppy Appeal 2021. It will raise funds for the care of indigent ex-soldiers.
“This event is the Grand Finale for our 2021 Poppy Appeal month which was launched on October 3” explained Lieutenant Colonel Warrenton Dixon, chairman of the National Poppy Appeal and Executive Producer of the event.
“Our goal this year is to raise $15 million, and we have been pulling out all the stops with our Poppy Patrols and the Step for Vets. However, we are still below the target and so this event will be used not only to entertain but to educate and to push for donations”.
This one-of-a-kind event promises to be more than just a concert.
“It will be a top-class production that will offer first-class entertainment while revealing a unique perspective of the army core. With the performances set within a backdrop of some of the army’s exclusive locations, we will showcase the grandeur, the pageantry and the style of the JDF, along with the star-powered musical lineup that will be offered”, remarked Martin Lewis of Team Solutions, producers of the event.
“Special features interwoven with the musical performances will make for a unique virtual experience which we are sure our viewers will enjoy”.
This year will be the second virtual staging of the event which was taken online in 2020 as a result of COVID 19.
“We did it as a necessity last year”, commented Colonel Dixon, “however, the experience taught us that a virtual presentation was actually beneficial to the cause as it allowed us to reach a much wider audience than we had in the past. So, this year, it was a no-brainer to do the virtual show. We have now demolished our boundaries and are reaching out to our Jamaican brothers and sisters, and our friends all across the globe, to firstly share in our collective duty to remember those who have sacrificed their lives and wellness for our freedom, and secondly, to donate to the cause so that we can help the ones in need. There are chapters of the Jamaican ex-soldiers in various countries and this cause is also important to them. In fact, Jamaica Ex-Soldiers Association UK joined us this year to stage a gospel concert dubbed “Blessed for Vets”, in Birmingham, England and a special highlight feature of this show will also be included in our Vets for Vets”.
