Bulloch citizens gathered on Veterans Day, Thursday, November 11th at the Averitt Center for the Arts Emma Kelly theater.
The American Legion Dexter Allen Post 90, along with the Averitt Center for the Arts and Joiner-Anderson Funeral Home, coordinated and sponsored the ceremony which paid tribute to the men and women, living or deceased, who served in any branch of the United States Armed Forces.
Grice Connect live streamed the ceremony. You can watch it in entirety below:
Jack Kindig and the Music Messengers began playing at 10:30 am and played until the Ceremony began at 11 am.
Martha Wells and volunteers from DAR served coffee and doughnuts before and after the ceremony.
Retired Major Sean McLaughlin presented the keynote address.
Major McLaughlin reminded veterans that they occupy a very special place in history and relationship to mankind.
He explained that what matters most is what you think of yourself when you look in a mirror. It doesn't matter what metals are on your chest, but what is in you heart and what you see in a mirror every day that matters most.
If everything in life materialistically is taken from a soldier pride, integrity and honor will always be there.
He then reminded the veterans that their best efforts are needed now.
"Your friends and neighbors need you. The Call of Duty is just as real now. The call of you to continue your initiatives, the quiet professionals seeking the same sense of accomplishment from training others to face life, to continue seeking challenges, to continue to take care of yourselves, to set good examples, in a world that needs tutors for children in school, coaches for kids, who need purpose, direction and motivation, the neighbor who needs a smile and a helping hand," said Major McLaughlin. "Be the example you want others to emulate. I pray that that sense of what a solder is to you personally never leaves you and that you carried on the rest of your life manifested as a sense of service to your fellow man and community."
Major McLaughlin closed with a quote by Marcus Aurelius, "Waste no more time arguing with a good man should be. Be one."
