17^th Annual Purple Heart Ceremony

As I arrived at the Citrus County Auditorium, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and gratitude. It was the day of the Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 Military Order of the Purple Heart’s Seventeenth Annual Purple Heart Ceremony, and I was honored to be in attendance once again.

There was a high presence and participation of Citrus County Schools, its students, educators, and leaders. The students from over 23 schools had made presentations board that lined the walls of the auditorium, honoring our veterans. The displays were beautifully crafted and showed a deep appreciation for the sacrifices made by our service members.

What’s more, students and educators from each of the schools were present at the ceremony, including those from our eSchool and the Academy of Environmental Sciences. It was heartening to see young people engaged and involved in such an important event, and it spoke volumes about the values of our community.

The ceremony began with the Lecanto High School Army Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps presenting the Colors that opened the ceremony, and the Nature Coast Community Band, under the direction of Kathy Thompson, playing the National Anthem. Then, the list of names of fallen heroes was read out loud. I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with emotion thinking about the families of these fallen heroes and the sacrifice they had made for our country. It was a poignant reminder of the high price of freedom.

During the event was a special tribute to Richard “Bud” Allen, a US Marine Corps veteran who had passed away. Bud had served proudly in Vietnam with the Marine Corps and was a committed member of Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 Military Order of the Purple Heart. He had left a lasting impact on the community, and his presence was deeply missed.

I would like to express my gratitude to Aaron A. Weaver Chapter 776 Military Order of the Purple Heart for organizing this event, the Citrus County Chronicle for their support of the Seventeenth Annual Purple Heart Ceremony, and to The Nature Coast Community Band, directed by Kathy Thompson, for their beautiful performance of the National Anthem. I would also like to thank the Citrus County Fair Auditorium for hosting the event, as well as Citrus Detachment 819 Marine Corps League for their support. Special thanks go to the Citrus County School District and Darrick Buettner, Lecanto AJROTC, the elected officials, veterans, and citizens of Citrus County for their participation and contributions to this important event. Their dedication and commitment to honoring our combat veterans are deeply appreciated.

For additional photos visit: https://bit.ly/3E0iZVc

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