White Dove Releases to Honor Veterans in Parade

Providing white dove releases for Memorial Day and Veteran's Day events are one of the many ways we can honor our Veterans. 

 

The picture here was taken at the 2012 Veteran's Day parade in Auburn, CA.

 

As the parade halted, there was a rifle salute, fly over by local aviators, rendering of Taps and then the dove release, performed by Kathy Dusart of Doves of White based in Colfax, CA, before the parade continued.

We owe so much of our wonderful lives and freedoms to these great men and women in uniform! 

 

To contact a white dove release professional in your area, please see the directory at the bottom of our blog.

White Dove Releases featured on Veteran's Day 2010

White Dove Memorial Release

White Dove Release Professionals members Frank and Mary Jean Fanni have been in the professional white dove release business in Lakeland, Florida for over 10 years. They were featured in a local news report on Veteran's Day, 2010.

Click on this link to view the news video, and read the story:
Featured White Release Doves Story on BayNews9

White Dove Release Professionals are available in many locations. See our directory below to find the WDRP member nearest you.

Remembering the Fallen Heroes of 9/11

On September 11, 2009, Mary Jean and Frank Fanni of A Touch Above organized a dove release at Scott Lake Elementary School in Lakeland, Florida. Fifty doves flew off as local fire, police, city representatives, students and teachers released them. After a presentation by Mary Jean Fanni, the students and staff sang America the Beautiful to honor the lives of those lost in the terrorist attacks in 2001.

This year, as the ninth anniversary of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon draws near, it is important to remember that there are people all over the world who are still affected by the loss of loved ones from the tragic events of that day in 2001.

Many communities have set aside special places to honor and memorialize those who gave their lives. They want to remember the victims of the attacks, and also the men and women who were willing participants in the rescue attempts of others.

It takes a great deal of time and effort to organize and fund the building of new memorials, and so, even eight, nine and ten years later there is news of a new memorial being completed and dedicated. For example, last year, in 2009, the Firefighters and Law Enforcement Fallen Heroes Plaza at Cherry Hill Park in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho was finally completed and dedicated. A large flock of white doves were released as a part of the dedication ceremony. Even though this memorial was dedicated eight years after the 9/11 attacks, people in attendance were deeply moved by the ceremony; the soaring white doves being a reminder of both sacrifice and freedom.

This is just one example of the many Patriot Day white dove releases performed by members of the White Dove Release Professionals in communities who refuse to let the memory of 9/11 die away with the passing of time.

White Doves Fly for The American Widow Project

A member of the White Dove Release Professionals was honored to provide memorial white dove releases at a very special event this past weekend.

A young lady from Texas named Taryn Davis started the American Widow Project after her husband was killed in Iraq when she was only 23 years old. Now Taryn travels all over the country to hold retreats for other widows who have lost their husbands in the war in Iraq or Afghanistan. They most recently held a retreat near Orlando, Florida, and included a white dove release ceremony in their plans.

Taryn arranged for the 12 widows to gather on a dock overlooking a lake. One at a time each widow stood in the front and either talked or read from a journal about her pain, and things she wanted to release. Then she was handed a white dove to release. Each one was so very emotional. None of the widows were more than 25 years old.

After each of the ladies finished releasing her dove they released one last bird as a group. They gathered in a semi-circle and each one reached over so they were touching the bird. Some were saying things like, "This is for you, Baby" or "I love you (followed by husband's name)". It was so incredible when they released that final bird together. This memorial white dove release brought a lot of tears, laughter, release and healing to these ladies. It was absolutely beautiful. As a side note, PBS is doing a special the weekend of Memorial Day about these ladies, and a camera man was there filming the release.

The American Widow Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to the new generation of those who have lost the heroes of yesterday, today and tomorrow, with an emphasis on healing through sharing stories, tears and laughter………Military Widow to Military Widow.


Taryn Davis, 23, was living the “normal” life; She had married her soul mate, was about to graduate college, and had her future with him to look forward to. That was until May 21, 2007. Her husband had been killed by multiple roadside bombs just an hour and a half after they last spoke. Feeling lost and alone in the new world she’d been thrown into, she began traveling around the country to hear other women’s stories of love, tragedy… and overall survival. In hearing their accounts, she hoped to learn more about the title that been had given to her… that of a military widow.


What began as her own personal journey has expanded into a non-profit organization, a documentary film, and a growing website. She has grasped on and embraced her new life with all the enthusiasm and passion she had when Michael was still alive. Inspired solely off the willpower and strength of the women “in her shoes” she has found that true love is eternal, that the lessons and things her husband said and did still run through her veins, and mostly….she is not alone.

The above excerpt is quoted from the official American Widow Project website. http://www.americanwidowproject.org/

White Doves soar with hope at 2009 Komen Race for the Cure

The White Dove Release Professionals is proud to feature the printed text of the speech made by one of our members at the Survivor's Ceremony for the 17th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Fashion Island, Newport Beach, Ca.


I’ve been a part of this ceremony for the last 15 years as the vendor whose company has been hired to release 100 doves as part of the survivor tribute.

At past Races, I had always felt a great sense of empowerment amongst the survivors here; their pink t-shirts and roses waving in their hands, some shaky and a bit overwhelmed, but all so very, very brave.

How different this ceremony will be for me this year. When I received the request to book this Race date from the survivors, who pay for my doves, I froze, and a flood of emotions took over because I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February. I had a lumpectomy followed by chemotherapy and radiation.

I had thought about the times I felt uncomfortable sharing the stage with the survivors and as I cried with them, I really had no idea what it must be like to face the diagnosis. And even though I did not choose to be part of this sisterhood, I now have such a greater understanding and want to make a difference as my journey continues. I am proud to be joining you here on stage, and as my gift to the Komen Race for the Cure® I will be releasing my doves as a donation every year until a cure is found.

Yes, my life has changed, some of the days harder than others, but I did get one thing I always wished for, the perfect blond hair, no roots or split ends (wig off). Pause…

I know now that the many years I spent participating in this event, along with the support of my amazing family and friends, has truly been the backbone to help me fight MY cancer. But for what I have lost, I have gained so much more. This year as we release the doves, may their grace and beauty bring hope to all who are racing to find a cure!!

Presented by Pamla Wright of White Flite White Dove Releases, September 27th, 2009.

Remembering the heroes of 9/11

As the eight year anniversary of that terrible day draws near, hundreds of thousands of people across this nation and even around the world join together to honor the people who lost their lives; and the many who selflessly offered aid; and the families who continue to live with the absence of their loved ones.

The White Dove Release Professionals, whose members service many areas all across the United States and Canada, will be sharing in the privilege of recognizing and remembering the beloved lost and the brave survivors of that day's tragedy by providing white dove releases at public and private ceremonies on September 11th.

May the beautiful white doves we release in memory and honor of the heroes and victims of September 11, 2001 bring a measure of healing and peace to all who witness their soaring flight.

Embraced Forevermore

As we remember our thoughts of eight years ago
sadness still lurks in the solemn shadows below.
As those towering inferno's fell to their death
the hero's within them drew their last breath.

It was a very sad ending to such a beautiful day
all of those people had died in such a horrible way.
The story's now history as we try to move forward
a hard thing to do when you think of the martyred.

As we remembered our thoughts of eight years ago
those people who jumped from a sky high window.
The ones in the buildings who were trapped by the fire,
the ones on the planes who never knew what transpired.

Police and firemen who climbed those stairs to rescue
anyone who had survived, no matter how few.
Their day had just started and little did they know,
they were the victims of a coward’s evil deathblow.

In honor of those hero's who went in our place
we will never forget you, you're forevermore embraced
by all of the Americans and the whole human race
as we try to move forward at a slow steady pace.

Each one of you died as a hero on that infamous day,
rest assured that your memories will never fade away.
In the land of a free democracy and in honor of our brave,
we fly Old Glory today and forevermore she'll wave!

Adapted from the poem by Jimmy Phillips, 2008
Source- www.sept11thmemorial.com

Professional White Dove Release Business leads to Scholarships

Twin sisters, Rene and Robyn Cooper, are co-owners of Highland Doves, a professional white dove release business located in Morgantown, West Virginia. They provide professional white dove release services for weddings, funerals, memorials, and special events such as their local American Cancer Society Relay for Life fundraising event, Veteran’s Day programs, and many other community benefit releases. The sisters have donated numerous professional white dove releases for non-profit events over the years.

Rene and Robyn began their white dove release business when they were just 15 years old. They received some coaching from their uncle who also raises pigeons, and has his own professional white dove release business. They began by building their own specialized pigeon loft from plans; doing the work themselves with a little assistance from their father. Once their loft was built they trained their first flock of young pigeons for the white dove release work, and continued to increase their flock by breeding, hatching and training more birds every year. This process has allowed them to build their business as the demand for their white dove release services has grown.

Rene and Robyn have operated their white dove release business very successfully, and almost totally independent of adult help since the beginning. At first the girls’ father had to drive them to do training tosses (training flights), and to their white dove release jobs because they weren't old enough to have driver’s licenses. But since the age of sixteen they have done all their training tosses, professional white dove releases and marketing events such as bridal fairs without any adult help.Rene is now a sophomore attending West Virginia University School of Dentistry. A couple of weeks ago one of her professors pulled her off to the side, and invited her to an upcoming awards banquet. Rene attended the banquet, figuring she was probably going to get a plaque or something similar. It came as quite a surprise to her when they were down to the final award of the night, and she was awarded a large scholarship for the rest of her college career. When she was presented with the award the crowd was informed that this was the most distinguished scholarship a dental student could receive from this school. To receive this award the recipient must excel in all categories of the dental school. Rene was advised during the presentation that the sponsor of the scholarship was impressed with her grades, her attitude and the fact that she had established and operated a professional white dove release business since the age of 15.

Robyn attends West Virginia University on the West Virginia Promise Scholarship. Her scholarship requires the recipient to maintain a 3.4 grade point average. Robyn feels that her experience with the white dove release business has contributed a great deal towards her being awarded and maintaining this scholarship.

Rene and Robyn both have bright futures ahead of them, and can thank their feathered friends for paving the way.