Last month, the Rotary Club of Marietta Metro hosted a special Tribute to Veterans at the First Presbyterian Church of Marietta. The free event was hosted by Senior Pastor Joe Evans who gave the invocation. The program celebrated the contributions of all veterans, past and present.
Chris Stokes, Club President, served as Master of Ceremonies. The
Lassiter-Kell-Pope Navy Junior ROTC presented the
colors. Marietta Metro Rotarian and WW
II Navy veteran Bob Brown lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
The First Presbyterian Church Choir and The Church Street Brass
provided patriotic music, including “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “The
Star Spangled Banner” and the “Armed Services Medley.”
Branches of the military were individually honored when their
service anthems were played. The program included a special
introduction to Veterans Day by Army veteran and Rotarian Dr. Robert Harper and
an observance of the Missing Man Table by Navy veteran and
Rotarian Bob Thomas.
The guest of honor was Maj. Gen. Thomas Carden, Adjutant General
of the Georgia Department of Defense, introduced by Rotary Club Past President
Buck Buchanan. Maj. Gen. Carden’s remarks focused on thanking veterans who
stand in the gap every single day and have continued to do so between tyranny
and freedom.