The NFL and various organizations will honor veterans and active-duty military throughout this year's Super Bowl.
But local veterans who were unable to attend still have plenty to look forward to as we move further into 2018.
A national organization will bring veterans from across the country to Fayetteville for an annual fly fishing event that will feature professional anglers.
Project Health Waters Fly Fishing, an organization dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active-duty service members and veterans, will host its annual Marabou Madness Fly Tying Event on March 3-4 at the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's Pechmann Fishing Education Center in Fayetteville, officials announced last month.
In its fifth year, the Marabou Madness event brings veterans together to share information, stories and fellowship with other fly anglers and veterans, officials said. Nearly 100 veterans are expected for the event.
This year's event will feature world-renown fly-tier Charlie Craven, officials said. Craven will provide a demonstrate for the event.
"I'm really looking forward to joining PHWFF this year for some great fly-tying and fishing," he said. "The opportunity to teach and meet with our veterans is an honor."
The event also will feature contests, games and a fishing derby, officials said. Sponsors include Otis Technology, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, Jersey Mike's, Mission BBQ and Methodist University.
For more information, go to projecthealingwaters.org.
If fishing isn't your forte, there's another national organization that can help find a special event for veterans and their families.
Ten years ago, Mike Focareto had tickets to the biggest football game of the year. But as he watched the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, he couldn't help but be frustrated.
Earlier in the game, Focareto — a Navy veteran — watched as a friend performed as part of the color guard. But after the opening ceremony, service members who performed such duties were not given seats. They were instead directed to stand in a mezzanine to watch the big game.
Meanwhile, Focareto said, there were several unused seats near him.
The experience was the impetus behind the nonprofit Veteran Tickets Foundation, better known as Vet Tix.
And in the decade since that Super Bowl, that organization has helped distribute more than 4 million tickets to service members, veterans and their families.
Over the years, more than 700,000 veterans have used the service. And more than 36,000 of those hail from North Carolina.
In the Fayetteville area alone, more than 7,600 veterans have received tickets to various sporting events and concerts, more than anywhere else in the state, officials said.
For more information on the organization and future events, go to vettix.org.
Military editor Drew Brooks can be reached at dbrooks@fayobserver.com or 486-3567.