FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
To: News Media
From: Bamberg County Administration
Date: November 1, 2023
Re: Bamberg County to Dedicate Veterans Park on Veterans Day
Bamberg, South Carolina (November 2023) – On November 11, 2023 at 11 a.m., Bamberg County Council and administration will join Bamberg Mayor Nancy Foster and Bamberg City Council at Bamberg Veterans Park to commemorate Veterans Day and to celebrate the grand opening of the park, a collaboration between the county, city, and state that has been years in the making.
The Honorable Mayor Nancy Foster will preside over the ceremony that will feature the presentation of the Colors by Bamberg-Ehrhardt JROTC Color Guard, special guest speaker Major General Van McCarty, South Carolina’s 29th Adjutant General, recognition of all veterans in attendance, the Quilts of Valor “Wrapping” Ceremony, and the official dedication and grand opening of Bamberg Veterans Park. Lunch will be served after the ceremony.
This year’s Veterans Day celebration will be especially unique because it will serve as a testament of how when people come together for a common purpose, anything is possible. The vision of a downtown Veterans Park began years ago, and Bamberg citizens will see the reality of that vision on full display while honoring those who have risked it all to provide them with the freedom to gather, fellowship, and recreate in such a beautiful space.
Bamberg County Council Chairman Dr. Jonathan Goodman said he is looking forward to showcasing Veterans Park on Veterans Day, “a day to pay homage to the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much for us.”
Bamberg Mayor Nancy Foster said one of the highlights of the program is the “wrapping” of veterans by the Quilts of Valor Foundation. Including one veteran who had a homebound ceremony, ten veterans will be honored with a quilt. The 2023 Bamberg Veterans Day Program QOV honorees are: Millard Bessinger, Larry Comer, Raymond DeRienzo, Marion Ray Dobson, Doris Moore Fisk, Michael Grant, Maurice Kirkland, Ronald Meeks, Pamela Rice, and Abraham Williams.
Bamberg County Administrator Joey Preston said the annual Veterans Day Celebration is a highlight of his year, one he “never grows tired of because of the significant reverence that must always be paid to our veterans.” He elaborated, “This year is even more special because not only do we have an opportunity to celebrate our heroes in person, but we will also celebrate the tenacious spirit of Bamberg County and its citizens. Our downtown Veterans Park serves as a beacon of democracy, freedom, and teamwork and is a source of great pride. We are so thankful to the City of Bamberg as well as our South Carolina delegation, Representative Justin Bamberg and Senator Brad Hutto, for collaborating with the County to create a space that will serve Bamberg County citizens well for generations to come.”
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For more information on this press release, email info@bambergcounty.sc.gov.
Bamberg County to Dedicate Veterans Park on Veterans Day