A celebration of military veterans is at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 7, at the 1,200-seat sanctuary of the Gold Canyon United Methodist Church, 6640 S. Kings Ranch Road in Gold Canyon.

Everyone is invited. Doors open for the community-wide free event at 1:15 p.m., according to a release.

This year’s event will feature guest speaker Rear Adm. James Symonds. He served in the Navy for 35 years and was the first commander of the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a crew of more than 3,000.

The East Valley Chapter of the ex-POWs and all who are Vietnam veterans in the audience will be honored with a pinning ceremony.

Also planned at the Celebration of Veterans is the honor guard from the Apache Junction High School Navy Reserve Officers Training Corps and the Emerald Society of Pipes & Drums.

Music will be provided by the Agape Brass plus the combined massed choir of the Chancel Choir from Gold Canyon United Methodist Church, the MountainBrook Village Voices and Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, the release states.

Following the event, all are invited to stay and have some refreshments.

This event is open to the public at no charge. Everyone is asked to bring at least one non-perishable food item per person, if they can, for the Gold Canyon UMC Food Bank, the release states.

An offering will be received to benefit the Pinal County Veterans Memorial Foundation. Donations can also be made at pcvmf.com.