A Celebration of the United States Constitution At Athens State University

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A celebration of the United States Constitution will be held at Athens State University, McCandless Hall on September 17, 2018, with Special Guest Speaker Ret. Col. Joseph Gaines, U.S. Army & Missile Defense Agency Deputy Chief of Staff

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

ATHENS-The public is invited to a celebration of the 231st anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution. The celebration will be Sept. 17, 2018, with an 11 a.m. lunch at the Athens State University ballroom and a program following at the historic McCandless Hall. Lunch will feature a complimentary all-American hot dog menu. The program will follow at noon.
The Athens based John Wade Keyes Daughters of the American Revolution and Athens State University are hosting the celebration. The program will include:
• Patriotic music by Dr. Ronnie Merritt on the 1892 tracker-action pipe organ.
• A welcome by Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks.
• Vocals by Jim Thompson.
• A dramatic presentation by Ruth Guertin and Karen Middleton.
• Presentation of scholarships by Dr. Ron Fritze, Dr. Debra Baird and DAR Regent Brenda Winter.
• A message about the United States Constitution from Ret. Col. Joseph Gaines, U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery.

Ret. Col. Joseph Gaines

A prolific public speaker, Col. Gaines has received numerous awards during his military career. Prior to his retirement in 2012, he served for 26 years as an Army Air Defense Artillery officer in a variety of assignments. He commanded the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll Garrison and the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Col. Gaines was dual-hatted as the senior US Defense Representative for the Republic of the Marshall Islands as part of the Embassy Country Team. He assumed his current position as Deputy Chief of Staff for the Missile Defense Agency in September 2014.
The DAR has ceremoniously honored The Constitution each year since the organization petitioned Congress in 1955 to set aside Sept. 17-23 to be dedicated for the observance of Constitution Week. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the resolution into public law on Aug. 2, 1956.

 

Media Release/Holly Hollman/City of Athens

 

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