Sunday, November 15, 2026
Members of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard perform a folding of the flag ceremony and present it to Brant Huisman, Executive Director of the Villa at Terracina Grand.
Purple Heart recipients: (Front) Dan Bernard, Bob Johnston, and Jack Wagner. (Back) Ed Charles, Wayne Jenkins, and Ken Martin. Not shown: Martin Spann.
Purple Heart recipients Dan Bernard and Bob Johnston.
Purple Heart recipient Jack Wagner is commander of Chapter 696 Southwest Florida.
Villa at Terracina Grand, a local senior living community, was honored as a Purple Heart Community on Tuesday, October 25, in a ceremony that included two Brigadier Generals and seven Purple Heart recipients.
A crowd of around 100 attended the ceremony at the Villa. Brigadier General Ed Dyer was guest of honor. Chaplain, Brigadier General Ed Brandt, Ret., pastor of Lely Presbyterian Church, delivered the invocation and served as emcee.
“It’s an honor for the Villa,” said Julie Badour, life enrichment director. “The city of Naples is a Purple Heart City and Collier County is a Purple Heart County. When they asked us if we would like to become a Purple Heart Community, we were so honored. We just wanted everybody to come together for this celebration. It’s very meaningful.”
Badour served in the Marine Corps, stateside, during the Vietnam War. She is an associated member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart because her brother received a Purple Heart.
The purpose and meaning of Purple Heart City or Purple Heart Community is to honor and remember military personnel wounded or killed in combat with hostile forces. The Purple Heart is specifically a combat decoration and it is our nation’s oldest military medal.
Purple Heart recipients in attendance Tuesday were Jack Wagner (commander of Chapter 696 Southwest Florida), Wayne Jenkins, Martin Spain, Dan Bernard, Ed Charles, Ken Martin, and Bob Johnston.
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