Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings presented a proclamation Sept. 28 designating that day as Gold Star Mothers and Families Day as part of the county's seventh annual ceremony honoring families who lost service members. The event, organized by the Orange County Mayor's Veterans Advisory Council and chaired by U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Fred Robinson, included presentation of colors, an invocation, two keynote addresses and a remembrance tribute concluding with Taps.

The proclamation, read by Mayor Jerry L. Demings, recognized "the immeasurable sacrifices made by our service members and their families" and cited the June 23, 1936, joint congressional resolution that established Gold Star Mother's Day as an observance. Demings also noted county veteran statistics included in the proclamation, saying Orange County is home to more than 70,000 veterans and that the county employs more than 600 veterans, nearly half of whom are serving in the reserves or National Guard.

Colonel Paulette Schenck, retired U.S. Air Force colonel and flight nurse, recounted her medical-evacuation work in the Middle East and Iraq and described the daily realities of wartime medical care. "Their courage, their selflessness stand as a testament to the enduring values of honor and service," Schenck said, and she urged attendees to remember the fallen and the families left behind. Schenck also described the practical work of aeromedical evacuation and field hospitals, saying crews often worked 12- to 16-hour days caring for severely wounded service members.

Lori Fleming, president and treasurer of American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., Department of Florida and Puerto Rico, spoke about the personal and long-term effects of losing a child in combat. Fleming described receiving the notification of her son’s death in June 2006 and credited the Gold Star Mothers organization and chapter peers for providing support during early grief. "We don't get better, but we get stronger," Fleming said, urging continued recognition and peer support for new and long-standing Gold Star families.

Organizers explained ceremonial elements intended to honor missing and fallen service members, including the missing-man table display: the round table representing everlasting concern, a white cloth for purity, a yellow ribbon and single rose for those missing in action, a lemon and pinch of salt for the bitterness and tears of loss, a lit candle for remembrance and an inverted glass to symbolize the inability of the missing to share a toast. The tribute program also included a reading, "We Honor and Remember Them," and a video titled "Remembering the Fallen," followed by Taps.

Event organizers called forward a list of Gold Star families for recognition and a proclamation photo. The ceremony featured invocation and benediction by retired U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Norris Henderson and performance of the national anthem by Alexandra Sesqui with colors presented by Freedom High School Sea Cadets.

No formal votes or legislative actions were taken at the ceremony; the event was a commemorative observance and included the county's ceremonial proclamation and public tributes.