OCALA, FL (352today.com) – It’s been a couple of years in the making, and now the Marion County Veterans Hall of Fame is about to come to fruition.
The inaugural class will feature 12 inductees, seven living and five who will be honored posthumously. The names on the list are like a who’s who of Marion County veterans, who served their country and continued their service to the community after leaving the military. The Marion County Veterans Hall of Fame Dinner and Induction Ceremony will be held at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, March 19, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Dinner will be provided by Cody’s Original Roadhouse and entertainment by the Kingdom of the Sun Concert Band. Greeters and escorts will be from the North Marion High School AFJROTC.
The evening’s keynote speaker will be Rear Admiral William E. Leigher, U.S. Navy, Ret.
“These guys are just unstoppable. Selfless servants in the veteran community, and they set a great example. for us younger veterans to follow suit because what they do, they set the bar high,” said Todd Belknap, Veterans Helping Veterans USA executive director.
The idea for the Marion County Veterans Hall of Fame was that of Commissioner Craig Curry, who wanted the concept to mirror that of the Marion County Agricultural Hall of Fame, said Belknap. On Dec. 16, 2025, the Marion County Board of County Commissioners approved the selection committee for the Marion County Veterans Hall of Fame.
“This started probably when Col. [Craig] Ham was inducted into the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame a few years back (in 2023), and then when Capt. [Stephen] Petty was inducted this past year, it really ignited, we have two veterans in the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame,” said Belknap. “We should have something like that here. So, Commissioner Curry spearheaded the concept. He got with Marion County public relations, Roger Waddell, who then came over here (to Veterans Helping Veterans USA) and we began the planning process, what to include, and you always want to be able to build on something.”
Veterans Helping Veterans USA has spearheaded the Marion County Veterans Hall of Fame and the Dinner.
“It’s a lot of work but for a good cause,” said Belknap.
The seven living members who will be honored at the March 19 dinner and induction include Craig Ham, Stephen Petty, Donald Kennedy, Jeffrey Askew, William Dorsey, Bruce Gonseth and John Erskine, who Belknap described as titans of the community.
Askew, who served as Marion County Veterans Services Director for more than 20 years, also served in the U.S. Navy for more than two decades.
In addition to the seven living service members, there will also be five posthumous inductees, including Lewis Alston, Medal of Honor recipient Hammet Bowen, Jr., Lamar Hunt, Edward Johnson, Jr. and Frank Rasbury.
Bruce Gonseth was a featured speaker at the last PTSD Summit, said Belknap. Gonseth’s presence in the community and his passion for helping other veterans is renowned.
“He used to be here at Veterans Helping Veterans,” said Belknap. “He’s a chaplain. He does community care; he’s a massage therapist through the VA community care program. He’s also the lead mentor for the veterans’ county treatment court. He’s a tremendous resource for the veterans’ community, and extremely humble at that.”
John Erskine’s life of service and dedication to the community is clearly evident through the work he has done, said Belknap, who wasn’t familiar with the inductee prior to the selection process for those who will be honored.
“I spoke with him on a few occasions over the telephone, just offering him some guidance on this and that, he’s a gentleman in the truest sense of the word,” said Belknap. “He’s a Colonel and a very eloquent speaker. His gratitude was off the charts. He couldn’t believe that he had been inducted.”
Donald Kennedy and William Dorsey have contributed so much through their service with the Marion County Memorial Honor Guard, said Belknap.
The selection committee for the Marion County Veterans Hall of Fame is composed of Ron Oppliger from the Friends of the Marion County Veterans Park; Col. Craig Ham or Capt. Steve Petty as members of the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame; and Charles Calhoun representing the Marion County Veterans Council, along with the Marion County Memorial Honor Guard, Don Kennedy, and Todd Belknap through Veterans Helping Veterans. When Donald Kennedy’s name was submitted, he recused himself, and Commander Sgt. Maj. Charles Dodge stepped in to be a voter, said Belknap.
“I’m excited about the event but also the future of the hall of fame because we want this to be the foundation and to make sure that it’s a strong foundation,” said Belknap. “In years to come, the template will probably be five posthumous and five living. The more that we can celebrate these heroes, these are men and women who wrote a blank check to the United States of America and said send me wherever you want and they were sent and now we have a chance for them to come and be celebrated, and we can say welcome home to Marion County.”
The inductees will get a blazer with a Hall of Fame logo, and they’ll get a Hall of Fame ring. The posthumous soldiers’ families will get a proclamation certificate and a plaque commemorating their loved one’s dedication to the community after the years of service to their country, said Belknap.
“We want them to be duly recognized and celebrated,” said Belknap. “We’re not making any money on this. This is not a fundraiser, all monies that are being raised through sponsorships or the purchasing of tables, goes toward the purchasing of the blazers, the rings, the logos, the whole nine yards, every dollar goes into offsetting the operational costs. It’s a labor of love. This is Veterans Helping Veterans USA’s way of saying thank you to these titans in the veterans’ community for what they continue to do even present day to not only help better the veteran community but the county at large. I always say, a strong veteran community makes a stronger county, and I believe that to be true.”
The attire for the dinner is business casual or military uniform. The cost for a 10-seat table is $500 and individual tickets are $50 each. More information about the dinner is available at vhvusa.org/veteranhofdinner.
“Cody’s Original Roadhouse who has been a tremendous supporter of the veterans’ community and a big donor here at Veterans Helping Veterans,” said Belknap. “They’ll be providing the meal. He is a huge supporter monetarily to the veteran community.”