Dave Butler & Skip Overdier

Riz & Jon Howard

D

estin Executive Airport was the 
chosen venue for Trees on the 

C

oast’s Honoring Ceremony.  

The event, held on October 

20, was a dedication ceremony honoring the 
servicemen who tragically perished in the 
Black Hawk helicopter crash 2 years ago.  
Families and friends of the fallen servicemen 
were present to be a part of the event and to 
honor their loved ones. 

Trees on the Coast donated and planted 49 

Sand Live Oaks and 1,400 African Irises on 
Airport Road, with eleven of the trees being 
dedicated to the servicemen who tragically 
perished.  The fallen servicemen honored 
were Chief Warrant Offi cer 4 George Wayne 
Griffi n, Jr., Chief Warrant Offi cer 4 George 
David Strother, Staff Sgt. Lance Bergeron, 
Staff Sgt. Thomas Florich, Capt. Stanford 
Henry Shaw III, Master Sgt. Thomas 
Saunders, Staff Sgt. Liam Flynn, Staff Sgt. 
Trevor P. Blaylock, Staff Sgt. Kerry Michael 
Kemp, Staff Sgt. Andrew Self, and Staff Sgt. 
Marcus Bawol. 

Trees on the Coast was founded in 2015 is 

a 501(c)3 non-profi t organization working 
on enhancing the beauty of Walton and 
Okaloosa counties by planting, preserving, 
and educating the public on the importance 
of trees on the coast. 

photos & story by

 

Zhalman Harris

Heather McNamara & Kelly Harrell

   VIP Destin at Destin Executive Airport

DJ & Sarah Strother

Myra Williams, Kathy Whidden, Lynn Wesson & Lisa Firth

Kevin McDonald, Jorge Romero, Donnie Watson, Reese Swartz & Jeff Anderson

Fallen Warrior

Tree Plant

Ceremony

76     |    VIPDestinMagazine.com

76-77 Event Trees on the Coast Fallen Warrior Tree Plant.indd   1

10/28/18   11:53 AM