Page 16 - Sojourner Newsletter FALL 2022

16 THE SOJOURNER

Welcome Home Veterans Celebration 2022, Clarksville, Tennessee: Fort Campbell Chapter #177 and
Old Hickory Camp, Heroes of ’76 were prominently featured in almost every event of a four-day celebration
of our nation’s veterans at the Clarksville, TN “Welcome Home Veterans” event. Originally created as a way
of welcoming and healing Vietnam veterans, it has over the years been expanded to include all Military
members and Veterans who have served as well as First Responders. This annual event has taken place over a
four-day period in September for the past five years (excluding 2020) and this year Sojourners and Heroes
were asked to play a prominent role with Americanism programs.

In addition to local veterans, a large number of reunion groups and a national meeting of Women Veterans of
America started the celebration on Wednesday night. The Sojourners of Fort Campbell Chapter #177 provided
a "13 Folds of Old Glory" ceremony along with and a short history for those in attendance. Brothers Charles
Griffin, PC, Steve Singleton, PC, Dean Grimes, PC, Jose CostaRoca and John Routzahn participated in the
ceremony.

On Thursday morning, a “Heroes Breakfast” was held at a local church. At each table were representatives of
the 1,300 JROTC cadets in Montgomery County, active-duty soldiers from Fort Campbell and veterans from
around the country. A Candlelight Memorial Service, modified to include our women veterans, was presented
during the program. After the presentation, representatives of each group were asked what serving meant to
them. Each of the three generations came away with a deeper appreciation of the other.

That evening a Remembrance ceremony featuring a dozen color guards in a “massing of the colors”
ceremony, was held at another church, with choirs from the local high schools. The massing of the colors
event was organized by a member of the Chapter. It has occurred since the Welcome Home Veterans
program’s inception and has been the highlight of all the events of the week.

On Friday a luncheon was held in conjunction with the Quilts of Valor presentation. Dean Grimes, National
Sojourners Regional Representative, gave a moving rendition of the POW-MIA (Missing Man) table script.
To his surprise, he was later awarded one of the Quilts of Valor for his work with Masonry and the
community. On Friday evening, a free picnic and bluegrass concert was provided at a local venue. We again
provided service by serving the attending veterans refreshments during the concert. With a warm smile and
cool water, Brother Aaron Jones served many attendees that night.

After a busy three days, the event was concluded on Saturday with a parade in downtown Clarksville.
Sojourners assisted with pre-parade breakfast snacks by getting donations from local businesses and serving
the hundreds of parade attendees. Members of Old Hickory Camp, Heroes of ’76 were easily recognized in the
parade by their colonial uniforms. Camp Commander William Welty had the honor of bearing the National
Colors during the parade.

A closing dinner was held that night to allow attendees to reflect on the busy week they had experienced and
to provide some comments. At the dinner, Brother Grimes presented the “Toast to the Flag”. Other than the
JROTC color guards presenting colors at each breakfast and dinner, no other group had as much involvement
in the success of the event as did Fort Campbell Chapter #177, National Sojourners and Old Hickory Camp,
Heroes of ’76. Not only did they receive high praise from the visiting attendees, but they were also recognized
by the city and county mayors and the local state senator for their participation.

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