After eating three-fourths of your children’s candy in one sitting, most adults look straight into November with two things in mind: turkey and sales. In fact some say Nov. 1 is the start of the shopping season. Everyone just gets so caught up in Macy’s amazing low prices on turkey basters and ninja turtle masks, that one of the most important holidays is almost completely overshadowed.

“It’s not about sales, but honor,” said Ann Knowles, director of the Sampson County Office of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans Day takes place every year on Nov. 11 to honor our veterans. In Sampson County, for the past 18 years on this date the Office of Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Council of Sampson County has held a special celebration honoring military who bravely served and are still serving this country.

This year it will be hosted at the Sampson County Exposition Center in Clinton at 11 a.m. with keynote speaker U.S. Army Colonel (Ret.) Edward W. Timmons, state director for N.C. National Guard’s Tarheel ChalleNGe Academy, and a special recognition and pin to be gifted to the Vietnam veterans.

From color guards to handwritten poems by Sampsonians, participants have given various forms of respect at the event and visitors have come from as far away as Florida. The celebration has grown from small beginnings.

“The first event I was involved in held to honor our vets was in 1978 and our speaker was Congressman Charlie Whitley. Just a handful of people showed up,” Knowles said.

However, 38 years have passed since then and veterans officials are hoping for somewhere between 350 and 400 guests this Friday at the civic center.

A number of people will be paying tribute to veterans as part of the program. Several musicians will be offering selections and the VFW Post No. 7547 Color Guard, including Alvin Herring Jr., Andrea Goodman, Russell Raines, Walter Rayner and Marshall Thornton, will present the colors.

As is customary, veterans will present flags from their branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Those representatives will include Willie Mitchell (Ret.) for the U.S. Army, James E. Britt for the U.S. Navy, Dallas Landrem for the U.S. Coast Guard, Avon Jones for the U.S. Air Force and Darryl Price for the U.S. Marine Corps.

A POW Presentation will be led by Robert Brown, president of the Sampson County Veterans Council. Congressman David Rouzer will also be present to make comments. A reception will be held in honor of all veterans immediately following the program in the civic center’s Heritage Hall.

Knowles said it was important to honor those who served.

“We have a responsibility to recognize what veterans did for us,” she remarked.

Veterans present their branches of the U.S. Armed Forces at last year’s Veterans Day Celebration at the Sampson County Agri-Exposition Center. This year’s is on tap for this Friday.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_Veterans-Day_1.jpgVeterans present their branches of the U.S. Armed Forces at last year’s Veterans Day Celebration at the Sampson County Agri-Exposition Center. This year’s is on tap for this Friday.

By Callie Cannady

Staff intern