Community ceremony recognizes local Veterans
Community members joined on the courthouse lawn in Owingsville to pay tribute and honor veterans locally and across the country.
The Bath County High School band led by Robert Rawlings played the National Anthem while members of the Boy Scout troop raised the American flag.
Mayor Gary Hunt opened the ceremony with a warm welcome. He turned the service over to Sonny Rawlings to present the Volunteer of the Year Award.
This years recipient went to J.R. Jones of Bethel.
Rawlings read from the nomination form, “this individual is dedicated to his position, every body in his community knows he will be there when help is needed, he takes pride in serving his community and done so in an excess of 50 years. One individual wrote, Bath County could count on death, taxes and J.R. Jones.” A stone will be engraved in his tribute and will appear in the sidewalk leading to the courthouse.
Bath County Boy Scout troop members placed wreaths in front of the memorials and the Bath County High School choir performed “America the Beautiful.”
“We’re here today to honor our service members and remember the sacrifices they made and the courage that it takes to honor our country. A writer once said ‘Valor is stability not of legs and arms but of courage and a soul.’ We’re here today to honor our heroes, to remember their achievements, their courage and their dedication and to say thank you for their sacrifices. Thinking of the heroes who join us here in this group today and those who are only here in spirit, a person cannot help but feel awe by the abnormity of what we are encountering. We stand today in the midst of patriots and the family and friends of those who have nobly served our country,” mayor Hunt said.
Hunt continued, “The service members that we honor today come from all walks of life, but they all share some of the same fundamental qualities. They possess courage, pride, determination, selflessness and dedication to duty. All the qualities needed when you are serving a cause that’s larger than yourself. Many of them didn’t ask to leave their homes to fight in distant battlefields. Many of them didn’t volunteer. They don’t like to go to war because they love fighting. They were called to be a part of something bigger than themselves. They were ordinary people, who responded in extraordinary ways in extreme times. They rose to the nation’s call because they wanted to protect the nation that has given them and us so much. Since the first shots were fired American men and women have been answering the nation’s call to duty. Millions of Americans have fought and died in battlefields here and abroad to defend our freedoms and our way of life. Today our troops continue to make the ultimate sacrifice and even as we lose troops many American’s step forward to say ‘I am ready to serve.’ They follow in the footsteps of generations of fine Americans. Today people throughout the country will gather together to remember, to honor and pay gratitude to those who have served the country. Our gathering is just one small spark in the flame of pride that burns across this nation today and everyday. It’s not a lot but one small way we can honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so we could live in freedom. Your presence here today and that of the people gathering all across America is a tribute to those lost troops and their families. It’s a way to say we remember.”
As the Bath County High School Band played each branch service’s song those who served stood in recognition of their service. Gift cards donated by Ace Hardware of Owingsville and Save A Lot were also given out to the oldest veterans of their branch served.
The ceremony came to a close as Verl Pennington played “Taps” and with a prayer led by Sean Bailey.
