Veterans Day Pier Walk

The annual Veterans Day Pier Walk provided Gulf Coast residents with the opportunity to honor local veterans and help a family in need.
News 25’s Kendra Turley takes us to the Ken Combs Pier in Gulfport.
Red, white, and blue fly proudly across the country as our nation celebrates Veterans Day, a time to honor the brave men and women who made the commitment to protect America and its citizens. Local veteran Jim Randall said, “The thanks that we get from the people on the street, I got so many today. It was really an honor.”
Gulf Coast residents gathered at the Ken Combs Pier in Gulfport for the annual Veterans Day Pier Walk. The walk serves as a tribute to veterans across the country, on the front lines of war and to those who are gone, but not forgotten. “Yeah, my brother. I lost him over a year ago and he’s a veteran and we loved each other very much and we served together,” said Randall.
The pier walk is important for many different reasons. Not only does it honor local veterans and first responders, it allows the community an opportunity to give back to those in need. Those who attended the walk brought canned goods to benefit the Gulf Coast Public Safety Feed the Needy Program. The program is designed to provide a hot meal to those who need it on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Gulfport Police Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Joshua Bromen said, “We feed approximately 3,300 families between the two holidays. It’s an opportunity to work with the public in a different avenue.”
Organizers say they will continue to host the walk each year. Pier Walk organizer Ken Combs Jr. said, “We hope that this continues to bring out awareness for the hungry in our community and the homeless. We have to reach out and help those who need it.”