Promising “a Fourth of July celebration the likes of which Powhatan has never seen,” retired Marine Corps helicopter pilot Clyde Childress has thrown himself into making his commitment happen.

Childress hopes that thousands will share a full day of “honoring our veterans and showing the younger generation what the Fourth of July really means.”

Childress has scheduled a broad range of activities for his 44-acre Vista Del Mar home site, at 1960 Old Tavern Rd. just off Route 13.

The event, a fundraiser for the non-profit Families of the Wounded, is expected to feature a 5K run, a concert by a 55-piece combined Richmond and Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, a flyover by the Army Air National Guard, a WW II P51 aerial display and an appearance by a Blackhawk attack helicopter.

Paul Galanti, a Hanoi Hilton POW, and Delegate Lee Ware will also be speaking.

Guests are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and picnic baskets but food concessions are also going to be available.

The celebration is expected to last from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is free.

Childress, a Vietnam veteran, says the trauma faced by wounded veterans led him to his association and support of the Families of the Wounded program, which is made up of ex-military personnel. As road side bombs have caused tremendous numbers of catastrophic head wounds, many of the wounded from Iraq and Afghanistan are sent to McGuire Veterans Hospital in Richmond for head trauma treatment. Often their families travel here to support their veteran during surgery, treatment and initial rehabilitation. While the military does not offset the families’ expenses, said Childress, Families of the Wounded does. “We give each family $6,000 with no strings attached,” he said.

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