Wilkinson Co. Veterans Day ceremony continues to grow

For such a small town, Toomsboro sure knows how to put on a Veterans Day ceremony.

The old Swampland Opry parking lot was packed mid-morning Tuesday, and community members gathered inside the old First Christian Church, all in an effort to honor Wilkinson County’s veterans.

Stay in the know with our free newsletter

Receive stories from Laurens County straight to your inbox.

Your Email Address

Sign Up

The event also doubled as a ribbon cutting for the Toomsboro Veterans Center. The church is the site of the new center, which “we hope will become a regional center for veterans,” said Toomsboro Mayor Joyce Denson. Church leaders previously gifted the property to the city of Toomsboro after hearing Denson’s vision.

Monday marked Toomsboro’s seventh Veterans Day ceremony. The event had humble beginnings, and the first few ceremonies were held outside City Hall. Nowadays, Toomsboro’s Veterans Day festivities draw people from all over the county, as well as surrounding counties, including Mack Jackson, a member of the Georgia House of Representatives. Jackson was one of several speakers at the event. 

Sheriff Richard Chatman, as well as others, read aloud the names of Wilkinson County veterans, while saxophonist Xavier Whipple played “Taps” in the background. Also on hand was the Wilkinson County High School AFJROTC, which presented the colors to begin the ceremony. 

Monday marked the 70th Veterans Day, although “the 11th day of the 11th month” has been a national holiday since 1938, back when it was known as Armistice Day, which honored World War I veterans. Pres. Dwight Eisenhower and Congress re-branded the holiday as “Veterans Day” in 1954 as a way to honor all veterans and not just those who served in World War I.