HARRISON TWP. — You know that big Veterans’ Picnic that’s coming up this Saturday? Well, it wasn’t always at the 4-H Fairground.

The picnic was started by a D-Day veteran as a way of getting other veterans together. It was in Philly, then it moved to New Jersey, to a horse farm and, finally, to its current site in Mullica Hill.

The event has had many sponsors, but the organizers, the main folks, the driving force behind it, have always been Paul and Bernadette Blackstock.

See, it was Paul’s dad who was that veteran of the D-Day invasion who started holding the picnic for his comrades-in-arms so many years ago.

This Saturday, Sept. 27, the picnic will run from 12 noon until 4 p.m. and it’s raid or shine — but the weather forecast looks great so far.

This  year’s event will feature a special “thank you” for all veterans of Vietnam, who will receive special recognition and a heartfelt “Welcome  Home.”

Oh, and don’t forget, everyone, not just veterans, is invited.

There will be a drop off for unopened toys for the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots campaign. There will also be a collection point for “Socks for Soldiers,” so bring warm, white athletic socks to donate.

Do you have an old, worn American flag? You can drop it off at the picnic so it gets disposed of according to the flag protocol.

In addition to military artifacts and vehicles, a classic car show and information booths, there will be entertainment from Greg Armstrong, Jay Gentile and Michael Jones.

Local author John “Soup” Campbell will do readings from his book about Gloucester County residents killed in Vietnam, “They Were Ours.”

There will be a reading of a Vietnam War commemorative poem by William Price, author of “The Revolutionists.”

For more information, contact Bernadette Blackstock at 856-694-1355 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.