COMMUNITY
A meeting of the Jones County Veterans Committee considered the elements that worked in previous events and how the celebration of local veterans could be better.
The July 27 meeting was called to order by Chairman Richard Combs. Committee Secretary Bonnie Duke said she planned to order double military service baseball type hats this year that are always a favorite of the veterans.
She said Hart’s Mortuary was planning to provide the outdoor stage again in 2022.
Combs said he was trying to think of a way to have the Veterans March as it had been done in previous years. He said there was also a suggestion for a possible renewal oath for veterans.
The chairman said he and committee member Frank Duke had met with Jones County High School’s JROTC Commander, Capt. Michael McMillan. He said the discussion at the meeting centered around how the veterans could support the JROTC and how the program can support the veterans.
“McMillan wants the cadets to assist with the event. We are all on the same page,” he said.
Combs said they talked about the cadets providing the Color Guard and a drill team.
The chairman also said the American Legion would like its annual Rifle Raffle to be part of the program in the drawing and announcement of the winner of the raffle.
Duke said the Legion is planning a dinner for all Jones County Veterans Sept. 29 in the fellowship hall of First Baptist Church. He said the meal would be catered and free to the veterans.
“The Legion wants to have the event to serve the veterans in our community,” he said.
Duke said the leaders of the organization expressed an interest in wanting to help the veterans committee.
Bonnie Duke suggested that the Legion could help with the upkeep of the Veterans Memorial.
“The Veterans Committee is committed to keeping up the memorial,” she said.
Combs welcomed new Veterans Committee member Dave Sanders, who is with Cadence Bank. Sanders is also a veteran and recently moved to Jones County.
Combs said the committee needs to be thinking about the layout of the program, which will again be held outside.
Committee member Joy Carr said she did not have any updates for the Veterans 5K, but they would start selling ads for the shirts in August.
Committee member Roger Hawke said he would get with the Jones County Cruisers to make sure they had the Nov. 12 event on their calendar.
“We haven’t talked about it, but I’m sure the car club wants to be part of it,” he said.
Hawke displayed a sample of wooden military plaques he is planning to have ready for all the veterans this year. The veteran made wooden U.S. Flags for veterans in 2020 and military service emblems for them in 2021.
Duke said Wayne Bowden will have the radios for the 5K, and Charlotte Hinson is working on collecting military memorabilia to give to the veterans. Gray Mayor Ed Barbee said he has the city and county proclamations handled.
Combs said the American Legion will be selling barbecue chicken plates again this year.
The final question was the date of the next committee meeting, and it was agreed that meeting would be at 1:30 p.m., Aug. 31.
Veteran Committee member Roger Hawke (right) shows examples at the July 27 committee meeting of the wooden military mementos he is making to distribute at the Nov. 12 event.
DEBBIE LURIE-SMITH/Staff
