SFSC to Host Veterans Day Event

South Florida State College (SFSC) will host its annual Veterans Day Commemoration on Monday, Nov. 11 at 10:45 a.m. This year, the event will be held inside the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for Performing Arts, SFSC Highlands Campus, in Avon Park. The Wildstein Center has 1,460 seats available.

This year’s event will include an address by David Leidel. After graduating high school, Leidel enlisted in the United States Army where he completed Basic Training and Infantry Training at Fort Benning, Ga., and specialized as a heavy weapons anti-tank crew member. He then attended the Army’s Airborne School and served with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. as a paratrooper. During his time at Fort Bragg, Leidel was deployed to Panama for Jungle Warfare Training, to Holland for the 50th anniversary of Operation Market Garden, and participated in Operation Restore Democracy, a military operation aimed at reinstating democratic governance in Haiti. He was honorably discharged in November 1994.

Currently, Leidel is a partner at Swaine & Leidel Wealth Services and Heartland Tax & Accounting. His civic engagement includes serving as the chairman of the Sebring Community Redevelopment Agency, a board member and past chairman of the Highlands County YMCA, and being involved with the Sebring Firemen Incorporated. Leidel is also a former member, Paul Harris Fellow, and past president of the Sebring Noon Rotary Club. Additionally, he has served on a variety of industry boards, graduated from Leadership Highlands, and is a former member and chairman of the SFSC District Board of Trustees. He is married to Michelle Leidel, dean of applied sciences and technologies at SFSC, and they have two adult children.

Dr. John McLaughlin, director of SFSC’s criminal justice programs, will serve as the emcee for the event and attendees will enjoy songs by the Sebring High School Show Choir and experience the Presentation of the Colors by the Avon Park High School JROTC. SFSC’s student veterans will also offer brief remarks. This event is free and open to the public.