host posted on November 16, 2010 14:00
By Melanie Patterson
North Jefferson News
NORTH JEFFERSON — Thursday was a perfect day to honor veterans.
Organizers could not have asked for better weather, with temperatures in the 70s and sunny skies, during the Veterans Day ceremony in Fultondale hosted by the Hawkins B. Carter American Legion Post 255 and VFW Post 10250.
In fact, north Jefferson County schools, which were closed Thursday and Friday for Veterans Day, honored American veterans all week with ceremonies and assemblies.
At Fultondale High School, Octavius Rogers narrated the day’s Project Wisdom message using the school’s public address system. Rogers is the father of a seventh-grader at FHS and recently returned home from a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
He also visited several classrooms and spoke about his experiences in the U.S. Army.
North Jefferson Middle School invited two veterans — Cpt. Mike Adams and Master Gunnery Sgt. Phillip Gadihle — to speak to the entire student body on Wednesday.
Michael Dumas with VFW Post 6173 in Brookside and David Daniel with VFW Post 10250 in Fultondale posted the colors and Boy Scout Troop 283 led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.
At the Veterans Day ceremony in Fultondale, Mary Lou Tolbert sang the National Anthem and God Bless America, followed by patriotic music by the Fultondale High School band, directed by Mike Gillespie.
American Legion member Charlie Armstrong read a list of new names to be added to the North Jefferson Memorial Wall as Greg and Susan McGill released a white dove for every name read.