When a Lititz constituent asked Rep. John Bear if he knew a fun way to honor veterans, Bear's immediate response was, "How about a ball game and a movie?"

From that off-the-cuff remark emerged Bear's annual Salute to Veterans event, now in its third year.

As in the past, the primary part of the event will be held at Clipper Magazine Stadium. This year it will be on May 27, when the Lancaster Barnstormers take on the Newark Bears.

Bear's office will provide veterans who sign up free tickets for the vet and a guest and $5 in Barnstormer Bucks to be used toward food or drink.

Then on May 29 at 8 a.m., veterans are invited to take in the new Russell Crowe movie "Robin Hood" at Penn Cinema.

"It's a chance to give back to the men and women who have done so much for us in a way that's fun for them and their families," Bear said. "It's also a chance for the general public to recognize what they've done for us. That's really the key thing"

In past years, Bear said the event has drawn as many as 1,000 people, generally veterans from World War II through the Gulf War.

But this year, he hopes to invite "more than 1,500" by reaching out to a new generation of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

To do that, Bear has invited the Lebanon Veterans Administration to merge its annual Welcome Home event for those involved in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom with the Salute to Veterans.

"We've never attracted many of the young men and women who are coming back now," Bear said. "Through partnering with the Lebanon VA and their Welcome Home ceremony, we've added a whole new dimension to this event and we hope to make it even bigger."

Norm Faas of the Lebanon VA said its annual Welcome Home event, now in its fourth year, is held in a different location each year. This year, Bear invited the VA to Lancaster to join him in "one big night to salute veterans."

"We plan to invite all the returning men and women, including the 56th Striker Brigade and the 28th Aviation Brigade; that's approximately 5,000 veterans," Faas said. "To have the different generations of veterans together at one place and to share stories and build camaraderie and enjoy a great baseball game — that's our goal."

To shoulder the cost of the event, Bear has lined up the sponsorship of Thermacore, Fluid Conditioning Products Inc., Stauffers of Kissel Hill, Penn Cinema and Sechan Electronics.

"They're the ones making this possible for the veterans," Bear said.

The event also has the support of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1463 in Lititz and American Legion Posts 56 of Lititz and 34 of Lancaster.

"We're very proud to help," Dick Getz, of the Lititz VFW, said. "Veterans need to be honored, and this event does it well."

Leroy Emmerich, a member of the Lititz American Legion post, said, "This is one of the best things locally that has come around in a long time for veterans."

Clipper Magazine Stadium will open its gates at 4:30 p.m. on May 27, and at 5:45 there will be a pre-game show featuring the Valley Forge Military Academy Band.

Reservations are required, and veterans can sign up at www.repbear.com by clicking the Salute to Veterans banner or by calling Bear's office at 626-1776.

But don't wait, Bear said. Tickets go fast.

Veterans unable to get tickets can still attend the game by purchasing discounted tickets at the gate. However, they will not get the food vouchers.

lalexander@lnpnews.com