Courtesy of Elmira Pioneers.
Military veterans in the Elmira-Corning area were sad to see the Ziff Law Firm’s Veteran of the Game program move to Broome County last fall for the Broome County Arena and Binghamton Devils home games. But today we have good news for our Twin Tiers veterans — the program is expanding and coming back to Elmira this summer.
We are the proud sponsors of the program, which had previously saluted more than 200 veterans and active-duty personnel during eight seasons with the Elmira Jackals at First Arena in downtown Elmira. The program was forced to leave Elmira after the Jackals disbanded following the end of the 2016-17 hockey season at First Arena.
Now after a successful first hockey season with the Devils, we’re excited to be back home.
The Ziff Law Firm and Elmira Pioneers will honor veterans at Dunn Field in Elmira this summer during Pioneers home games, and continue to salute veterans in the fall and winter months during Devils home games. The Veteran of the Game program replaces the Ziff Law Firm’s Hometown Heroes program at Dunn Field, which saluted community volunteers and heroes during five Pioneers seasons.
To nominate a veteran today, see the end of this blog post.
We are very excited to find a summer home for the Veteran of the Game program. It was very popular at First Arena, so we have been looking for ways to expand the program and bring it back to Elmira. The Pioneers provided us with the perfect opportunity.
The Veteran of the Game program grew in popularity during its first season at the Broome County Arena, said Ziff Law attorney Michael Brown, who lives in Vestal and was new this past season to the program.
“When the fans give the veterans a standing ovation, it’s an unforgettable moment for the veterans and their families,” he said. “It’s apparent the fans and people of Broome County appreciate the sacrifices our veterans have made, and have welcomed the program.”
The Pioneers play in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League. The regular season begins June 1 and concludes July 31. Opening night at Dunn Field is June 1, with the Pioneers hosting the Newark Pilots, starting at 7:05 p.m.
To see the Pioneers’ schedule and select a home game for a nomination, click here.
Robbie Nichols, the owner of the Pioneers, said he has admired the Veteran of the Game program since his years as general manager of First Arena.
“I have seen how special this is for veterans and their families,” Robbie said. “I appreciate what the Ziff Law Firm has accomplished by honoring our veterans through this great program, and I am honored that the Pioneers will be part of the tradition starting this summer.”
Male and female veterans and active-duty personnel who are home on leave can be nominated for the program.
During the Pioneers game, the public-address announcer will introduce the veteran and read a short biography of their military service. The veteran will be seated in a box seat along the first baseline with seven friends or family members, courtesy of free tickets from the Ziff Law Firm.
When the salute is announced, the veteran can stand or remain seated, and at the end of the announcement, Pioneers fans will probably do what Jackals fans always did — let out a big cheer!
“I am honored to once again have the opportunity to honor our veterans,” said program coordinator Annette Viselli Thorne of the Ziff Law Firm. “I look forward to seeing some of our past-recognized veterans as well as meeting new veterans.
“The military people who are honored and their families and friends say it is an evening they will remember forever, and we hope to create many more memories this summer at Dunn Field,” she said.
How to nominate a veteran
Male and female veterans and active-duty personnel who are home on leave can be nominated for the Veteran of the Game program by using one of the following ways to contact the Ziff Law Firm:
Email: athorne@zifflaw.com.
Call: 1-800-943-3529 or 607-733-8866.
Mail:
Ziff Law Firm
303 William St.
P.O. Box 1338
Elmira, NY 14902-1338
For more information: contact program coordinator Annette Viselli Thorne at athorne@zifflaw.com or 607-733-8866.
We hope you will nominate a veteran you know today.
Thanks for reading,
Jim