This Veterans Weekend, The Betsy Orb illuminates citizen-prepared letters and poetry of gratitude, hope, and remembrance for veterans and their resilient families.

This Veterans Weekend, Illuminations on the ORB, Honoring Our Veterans transforms The Betsy Orb into a beacon of civic gratitude. Nightly from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM, with the illumination beginning at 9:00 PM, the installation transmits citizen-prepared letters and poetry honoring veterans and their resilient families.
Presented as part of the city-wide Veterans Day observance, The Betsy Hotel's participation illuminates powerful community-created messages of gratitude, hope, and remembrance. This landmark installation is made possible through a vital partnership with Miami Beach VFW Post 3559, with profound appreciation to USMC Veteran Alex Kruger-Dobrota for creating and coordinating the project and for his dedicated service to our country.
On Nov 7 and 8, the hotel will also present continuous showings, from noon to 9:00 PM, of Nothing Can Be Done, But Something Can Be Said, a 2010 short documentary and multimedia film created in partnership with The Betsy-South Beach and the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus. The film explores Miami Beach's historic role as a staging ground and training hub for more than 500,000 soldiers during World War II through archival footage, interviews with South Florida war veterans, and wartime poetry connected to Hyam Plutzik.

 Plutzik's service as a soldier-poet, and his connection to the literary legacy honored through The Betsy Writer's Room, make this film an important part of the weekend's public presentation.