HONORING LOCAL HEROES
Members of the Jones County Veterans Committee met the Senior Army Instructor for Jones County High School’s JROTC program at their August meeting, who will be assisting with the Veterans Appreciation Day event.
Committee Chairman Richard Combs called the Aug. 31 meeting to order and led the opening prayer. Combs said an ensemble from the JCHS band had been secured to play at the Nov. 12 program.
Committee secretary Bonnie Duke said she had the new forms for the 2022 5K race and sponsorships would be sold beginning next month. Duke said Jim Hodges is assisting with the sponsorship sales, and race applications can be picked up at the Jones County/Gray Chamber of Commerce.
Registration costs are $25 prior to the race and $30 on race day. Duke said there is a discount for team registrations.
The secretary said the previous provider for shirts and trophies for the 5K is no longer an option, and they are in the process of looking for another provider.
Committee member Anita Dockery said she continues to work on organization of the pavers at the Jones County Veterans Memorial. She said an Excel spreadsheet has been created with the information, but there are a few pages missing in the original paperwork.
“Everything we have now is digital,” she said.
Duke said Gray Memorial Chapel is purchasing pavers for the veterans they serve, and a ceremony to dedicate those pavers will be held again this year. She said owner Scott Walston was also instrumental in finding a new engraver for the pavers.
Combs said the post card invitations would be mailed to veterans again this year, and Dockery said she needed the information for the cards by the end of October. Dockery said the invitation should be sent out two weeks prior to the event.
Combs introduced Capt. Michael McMillan, who is the Senior Army Instructor for the JROTC. McMillan said the JROTC is committed to provide the Color Guard and drill team for the program, and he asked how else the cadets could help.
Duke said in the past the cadets had helped with setting up and taking down the tables needed for the event, and they helped with the distribution of the military service caps to the veterans.
The captain said the cadets would be glad to help.
Combs said he would like for the veterans committee to help the JROTC program throughout the year.
Dockery asked the theme of this year’s program, and Combs said it was decided to keep the theme “Honoring All Who Served.”
The chairman asked for the drawing for the American Legion’s raffle winner be placed on the program before his closing remarks. He said it was last on the program last year and was overlooked.
He added that he spoke to Joe Briley with Boy Scout Troop 485, and the scouts would be there to help with the event.
Combs said he had been trying to come up with a way to include the Veteran’s March in the program again, and committee members shared several ideas. One suggestion was to begin the march in approximately the same area as in the past, near the Jones County Cruisers Car Show, and make the short walk to the stage area.
Committee member Bob Morgan said American Legion members would again be selling advance tickets for their barbecue chicken dinners, but the cost of the tickets is not known at this time. He said the rising costs of supplies and ingredients for the meal is the issue.
Morgan said all the dinners are purchased before the event, and no dinners are sold the day of the event.
“That’s the only way it works,” he said.
The next meeting of the Veterans Committee is scheduled at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 21, in the conference room at the W.E. Knox Civic Center.
