St. Patrick's Day Celebration In Broken Arrow Raises Money For Local Veterans

People in Broken Arrow are celebrating St. Patrick's Day at the ShamRock the Rose event. Organizers say it's a great way for the community to come together, and also raise money to support local veterans.

This is the 10th year for this event, and organizers say over that time they've raised $140,000 for Soldiers Wish, an organization dedicated to supporting veterans.

St. Patrick's Day celebrations are in full swing in Broken Arrow's Rose District, with green everywhere you look.

"You can come out bring a lawn chair sit in front listen to the live music visit the street vendors, it's 3 and a half blocks long so you have lots to do," says event organizer and Broken Arrow Mayor Debra Wimpee.

She says this a great free event for families that she says filled a gap.

"Ten years ago we didn't have a St. Patrick’s Day event here in Broken Arrow and so I tend to do things like that I'm like oh we need one of those," says Wimpee. 

For Mayor Wimpee, Saturday has a bigger purpose as well, raising money to help veterans.

"We're all about just helping the veteran community," she says. 

There are nearly 20 veteran organizations here. Stacey Kitsmiller with Oklahoma Women Veterans is thrilled to have a part in the event.

"Broken Arrow is a very military and veteran-friendly town and so they've opened it up for other veteran service organizations to come and represent and outreach to the community," says Kitsmiller.

Kitsmiller, a veteran herself, knows the importance of a strong community among women who have served our country and hopes to reach others today looking to make connections.

"This is a great opportunity for us to get together and do that, and have that common experience and those common stories and those common needs," says Kitsmiller. 

Part of Saturday’s celebration was a surprise donation for two veterans, one was a 92-year-old man who served in World War II.