Branson honors veterans, remembers fallen

Branson is the year-round home for America's veterans, honoring those who have served every day. Veterans are recognized and honored at many of Branson's shows, but several times a year, events for veterans take center-stage in Branson.

Branson will celebrate the 59th Anniversary of Armed Forces Day on May 16 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Museum on Highway 76. Any person who served in our military in the past, or is currently serving, will receive a free picnic lunch and a special discount on museum admission. June Tillis is the chairperson for this event. For more information call (417) 337-8387.

While many visitors to the Ozarks will be enjoying a long weekend on Memorial Day, Branson also will be remembering the brave servicemen and servicewomen who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. At 11 a.m. on Memorial Day, May 25, the American Legion Post 220 will hold a ceremony at the Ozark Memorial Park Cemetery, East Hwy 76. A number of guest speakers will be present for this Memorial Day event.

In addition to these commemorations, several patriotic events are scheduled in June and July to coincide with Flag Day and Independence Day. For more information, visit the Branson Veterans Task force site at www.bransonveterans.com

And be sure not to miss Branson's annual Veterans Homecoming Week in November, a 7-day tribute which begins Nov. 5 and continues through Nov. 11. Veterans Homecoming is a tribute to all veterans and active military and those who support them.

Avenue of Freedom, Flags

On the weekend of Flag Day (June 14), three locations in Branson will be accepting tattered or worn-out flags for proper disposal. The locations are Frontier Flags at 212 S. Commercial St., the Veterans Memorial Museum at 1250 W. Hwy 76, and the Branson Veterans Task Force booth by the fountains at Branson Landing. For more information call (417) 337-8387. The task force also will be accepting donations for the maintenance of Branson's Avenue of Freedom.

The Avenue Of Freedom was designated by the Branson Board of Alderman on Nov. 14, 2001, in honor of our veterans, our heroes who gave their lives for freedom, and those who died in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.  The Avenue of Freedom is along Gretna Road from Highway 248 West approximately 2 miles to the bridge at Roark Valley Road and is maintained through donations from individuals and businesses.

The avenue offers a unique opportunity to honor individuals who have served in our armed forces, or as a first responder, police officer or firefighter. For a $50 donation, the individual's name and information will be printed on a flag and flown along the Avenue of Freedom for about 60 days. The flag can then be shipped to the donor or recipient with a certificate. More information about this memorial is available at www.bransonveterans.com/avenue-of-freedom.htm

Arts and crafts, live music, the Outrageous Dog Show, sidewalk sales and other family activities are featured May 15-17 at the 36th Annual Plumb Nellie Days.

Organized by the Downtown Branson Main Street Association (DBMA), Plumb Nellie Days is a springtime tradition, said DBMA Events Coordinator Paula Gillispie. More than 100 booths have been reserved by artists, crafters and food vendors. The crafts tent and other booths will be arranged on the Awbery parking lot at Commercial and Pacific Streets in downtown Branson.

The arts and crafts festival will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 15-16, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 17. The crafts show is free to the public.

Downtown merchants will also hold sidewalk sales during Plumb Nellie Days.

Another special feature at Plumb Nellie Days is a book signing by Judy Dees, who has recently published a book called Verses from Above. “Judy is one of our downtown businesspeople,” Gillispie said. “She and her husband Randy own Mr. B’s Ice Cream Parlor.”

One of Plumb Nellie Days’ most popular features is the Outrageous Dog Show. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, and the dog show begins at 10 a.m. Divisions include longest ears, cutest puppy, ugliest dog, most talented, shortest legs, most spots, longest tail, owner look-alike and other divisions. The entry fee is $5 per dog, and every dog will win a prize, Gillispie said.

Some dogs may also win homes on Saturday. Plumb Nellie Days will offer pet adoptions of dogs and cats from the Taney County Animal Shelter. “All the pets found homes at the 2008 Plumb Nellie Days,” Gillispie said. “We hope that 100-percent adoption rate becomes another Plumb Nellie tradition.”

“Volunteers are very much a part of Plumb Nellie Days,” Gillispie said. “The volunteers who help out every week at the DBMA office are also part of Plumb Nellie Days, and we have some volunteers specifically for special events. We certainly appreciate the help, and we can never have too many volunteers. Anyone with some extra time Friday, Saturday or Sunday may call me and we can arrange a schedule.”

Information about Plumb Nellie Days and other DBMA activities is available by calling 417-334-1548 or emailing to paula@downtownbranson.org.

Responding to the current economic situation, the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce/CVB is once again offering visitors a Gas Buster discount card. Good at dozens of live shows, area attractions, lodging properties, retail shops and restaurants, the card is worth a total of $50 off purchases. Folks signing up for the 2009 Gas Buster discount card will also have a chance to win a Grand Prize Getaway to Branson!

“Bringing back the Gas Buster discount card, we are helping folks save some money in Branson. Branson’s live music shows, attractions, lodging, retail and restaurants are willing to work together so that visitors can afford to do all the things they would like to do when they come here,” according to Cathy Rigby, starring as Peter Pan at the Mansion Theatre.  “Families looking for museums, theme parks, golf, lakes recreation, along with shopping, dining and world-class entertainment, will find it all in Branson.”

Between June 1 and Sept. 30, 2009, the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce/CVB will give a Gas Buster discount card to anyone who presents a valid drivers’ license and a minimum of $40 in gas receipts incurred within 48 hours of their arrival at the Chamber’s Welcome Center, located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 65 and Missouri Highway 248 in Branson. Gas Buster card holders are automatically entered to win the grand prize 4-day/3-night vacation for four to Branson, which will be awarded on September 30, 2009.

Gas Buster discount cards and the list of participating sponsors will be issued only from the Chamber/CVB Welcome Center. Business hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 10 a.m.  to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Gas Buster promotion runs from June 1 through Sept. 30, 2009. For more information, check out  www.ExploreBranson.com or call 800-214-3661.

The Branson Airport, the first privately developed and operated commercial service airport in the United States, officially began operations May 11 by welcoming its first commercial flight. Sun Country Airlines flight SY509, with passengers from Minneapolis/St. Paul, touched down at 9:00 a.m. To mark the occasion, arriving passengers were presented with gift bags from the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber and CVB.

In addition, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the gate area of the new Branson Airport terminal. Those taking part in the ceremony were Branson Airport executives, Sun Country Airlines officials and Branson area dignitaries.

“The arrival of this flight marks a new beginning for air travel in the Ozarks,” said Steve Peet, CEO, Branson Airport. “The vision we’ve had for so many years of providing low-cost air travel to and from Branson, is today a reality.” Sun County will offer nonstop flights to and from Minneapolis/St. Paul and Dallas/Ft. Worth on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The second commercial flight to touch down on the airport’s 7,140-foot runway was AirTran Airways flight 1582 from Milwaukee, which landed at 11:55 a.m. An official welcoming ceremony was held for this flight as well. AirTran Airways will be providing daily nonstop flights to and from Atlanta and Milwaukee.

The opening day activities wrapped a three-day grand opening extravaganza for the Branson Airport, which included the first ever Branson Air Show. More than 50,000 people attended the weekend show which featured an impressive list of America’s top air show performers, including the USAF Thunderbirds, US Army Golden Knights, Aeroshell Aerobatic Team, Patty Wagstaff, Manfred Radius, and many more.

Construction on the airport, which includes an access road and two bridges built over gorges, began in July 2007. 11 million cubic yards of rock and dirt were moved in order to construct the terminal and runway. The Branson Airport’s 7,140-foot runway, built on top of a mountain, is designed for midsized commercial type aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and 757, but can handle planes as large as the 767. This will enable the airport to receive non-stop air service from anywhere in the continental United States.

The 58,000 square-foot terminal facility offers all the amenities of a full-service airport, with one critical difference. The Branson Airport is the first airport in the country to put customer service first, by providing “concierge-level” service to all departing and arriving travelers. The airport employs 50 people, all of whom work for the airport, not the airlines. Services include a welcome center, screening checkpoint, baggage claim area, full-service kiosks, curbside service, concessions, gift and news shop and full service restaurant.

For more information about the Branson Airport including flights and schedules, visit www.flybranson.com.

Branson’s Tropical Adventure Park, White Water, opens May 23 with the largest selection of rides and attractions in the Ozarks.  The 12-acre park twists and glides with nearly 7,000 feet of slides and more than a dozen rides and attractions, creating two million gallons of cool, water-drenched fun where guests can swim, surf, splash and slide.

Adventures at White Water range from the multi-thrill experience of the 7-story, 6-slide Kalani Towers to relaxing summer days drifting down the Lazy River.  Rides include:

THRILL RIDES:

• Kalani Towers – 300-foot drop slides for freefalling up to 40 mph and mat speed racers up to 25 miles per hour
• Raging River Rapids – Interactive double speed-slide with a 400-foot plunge race to the end
• Bermuda Triangle – Fast-paced, enclosed slide full of twists and turns
• Caribbean Plunge – Fast and furious slides that take inner tube riders along river-like rapids with a splash landing
• Tropical Twister – The whole family rides on a huge raft, careening around corners, twisting and turning to the bottom

MILDER RIDES:

• Surfquake – The 500,000 gallon wave pool roars to life with 4-foot waves then transforms back into a family water oasis
• Lazy River – A gently moving river for swimming or floating and soaking up the sun

FAMILY PLAY AREAS:

• RainTree Island – Island adventure with aqua-shooters, slides, splash geysers and a 700-gallon tipping bucket
• Splash Island – A play area for kids with shooting nozzles, spray hoses and slides, all in a shallow pool perfect for the little ones
• Little Squirts’ Waterworks – For the smaller kids, tunnels, slides, waterfalls and sprays for water play without water depth
• Sand Volleyball – Take a quick break from the water for a volleyball tournament with your friends and family

Along with shaded areas, tropical landscapes and an assortment of island-themed foods, White Water offers Cool Cabanas for rent, enclosed on two sides with televisions, fans and seating for up to 8 people. White Water has been nationally recognized for its staff of award-winning certified lifeguards.  Free life jackets and tubes are available.  

White Water is open May 23 - September 7. For information, hours and tickets, contact 1-800-831-4FUN or www.bransonwhitewater.com.

GolfCourseHome.net and the Golf Course Home Network Announces its Second Annual "Best of the Best" golf community rankings — the Network's compendium of rankings takes into account all major media rankings of golf courses and golf communities for this year.

The Communities at Branson Creek located near Branson, Mo., was named to GolfCourseHome's Second Annual  "Best of the Best" Rankings — the annual compendium of honors reflecting all major media rankings of golf courses and golf communities for this year.

“We’re pleased to receive this national recognition and proud to see SW Missouri recognized as a great destination for active living and vacation homes with affordable lifestyle options.” said Kim McDonald Vice President of Sales & Marketing on behalf of the company.

Branson Creek earned its place among the 19 winners by having captured 5 major magazine awards.  Branson Creek was also ranked in 2008 by “Where To Retire Magazine” as one of the Top 100 Master Planned Communities” in the United States.

The community also is home to the new Branson Airport.  Featuring two championship golf courses — including Murder Rock and Branson Creek, the Tom Fazio designed course ranked by Golf Digest as the number one public course in Missouri — The Communities at Branson Creek has weathered the current economic downturn with an aggressive pace of development of new homes, golf villas and custom home sites.