Planning is under way for the annual Veterans Day celebration at the Marion County Courthouse.
This year, the ceremony will be held on Monday, Nov. 13.
“Monday is supposed to be the legal holiday this year since Nov. 11 is on a Saturday,” Dewey Blansett, Marion County veterans’ service officer, said. “The Board (of Supervisors) said we are supposed to hold it on the legal holiday.”
Blansett also noted that the annual Veterans Picnic is slated for Nov. 11 at the Columbia Water Park.
Committee members for the annual Veterans Day celebration met Thursday at Blansett’s office to work on this year’s program. The committee includes representatives from local veterans organizations, city and county governments and the Hill Top Golden Acres Garden Club, which helps sponsor the event.
Though the featured speaker has not been confirmed yet, organizers are working to put that and other details into place. Father Martin Gillespie of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, himself an Air Force veteran and Air National Guard member, will give the invocation. Mayor Justin McKenzie and Army National Guard Capt. Amanda Woods will also make remarks. Woods is also slated to play Taps at the end of the ceremony. Ronnie Geiger will lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
Entertainment at the event will be provided by Ronnie Herrington and the Antique Brass and the Columbia High School Concert Choir under the direction of Kim Walley.
The annual ceremony is hosted by the Hill Top Golden Acres Garden Club, VFW Post 5393, Edward Corker, commander; Marion County Veterans Service Office, Marion County Board of Supervisors and the City of Columbia.
Further details about the program will be released in the coming weeks as plans are firmed up, according to Blansett.
For more information contact the Veterans Service Office at (601) 736-2239.
Pictured Above: Edward Corker, commander of VFW Post 5393, salutes during the 2016 Veterans Day ceremony in Columbia. Photo by Mark Rogers
