Over 320 attended the 49th Blount County TN Veterans Day event on Saturday November 11, 2017. But every thing seemed different. For decades the event was held at the Maryville Courthouse but this year changed: the event was moved to Rio Revolution Church and a new venue; making the event veteran centric.
Veterans Day began with Vet to Vet Tennessee’s President Freddie J. Owens appearing on WBIR. Freddie’s interview.
With a new vision, Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchell, Vet to Vet Tennessee (VTVT) and United Veterans of Blount County Veterans prepared this event to honor Vietnam Veterans and their families who served from November 1955 to May 1975. Mayor Mitchell created a Blount County Proclamation for this event. VTVT President and Ia Drang survivor Freddie J. Owens was the special guest speaker.
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87 Vietnam Veterans received the Vietnam War Commemoration (VWC) presidential and county proclamations and 12 surviving spouses received the VWC Certificate of Honor. VTVT presented 8 WW II veterans with and 10 Korean War Veterans with VTVT’s Certificate of Honor.
The first 2 George P. Thomas Memorial Awards were presented to the Honorable Mayor Ed Mitchell and Blount County Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Kathy Jackson
Click here to learn more about the award.
After the ceremony Mayor Ed Mitchell told Ed Junod that “next year is Blount County’s 50th Veterans Day Event and we need to make it special and fill Rio Revolution Church with over 1,000 guest. Agreed. We’ll start planning 6 months before the event.”
Photos from today’s event. Click here to view.
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