Planning for the ninth annual Peachtree City Memorial Day Celebration is well underway. This year’s event will take place Monday, May 28 and,like last year, will start at 9 a.m. Event organizers said the new start time was introduced last year and led to higher attendance numbers, estimated at more than 700 people.

“We hope that the later start time will make it easier for families to join us as we honor the memories of those who have died in service to the United States,” said Randy Gaddo, the event’s planner.

This year’s event will feature the accomplishments and challenges of modern battlefield medicine. The guest speaker will be Rear Admiral Richard R. Jeffries, the Medical Officer of the Marine Corps. The Navy provides medical care for Marines in every “clime’ and place” they serve, including the current battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The top Marine Corps doctor is no stranger to battlefields. Jeffries has spent the better part of his 31 year Navy career assigned to Marine Corps units. This includes combat Operation Desert Shield in 1990 and the humanitarian mission during 1992’s Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. He also deployed as a surgeon in support of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. He reported to his current post in November 2005.

The Memorial Day Celebration unofficially begins at 8:30 a.m. with the traditional patriotic golf cart procession from the Gathering Place around Lake Peachtree to City Hall Plaza, the site of the official celebration. The public is invited to join the procession. More than 200 patriotically-decorated golf carts are normally involved.

The singing group Music Alive! will begin performing introductory music at city hall plaza at 8:30 a.m. At 9 a.m. honors to the flag will commence, followed by a memorial wreath presentation by the local VFW post 9949 and more music.

The top winner of the Memorial Day student essay contest will read his or her winning entry and all top finishers will receive awards. The theme this year is “Let Freedom Ring: Thanking Those Who Have Sacrificed.” The theme extends the meaning of Memorial Day as a time to not only honor those who have died in service to America, but also those who have been wounded in the line of duty.

“Too often Americans forget those who return home wounded, physically and/or mentally, from the battlefield,” said Gaddo, who is a retired Marine. “Modern battlefield medicine is saving more lives than ever before, but this also means that we have more warriors coming back with debilitating injuries that can take years to heal, or possibly never will. America owes her wounded warriors, and their families, a tremendous debt of gratitude. They deserve the best medical attention available.”

The 2006 winner of VFW Post 9949’s annual essay contest, the “Patriots Pen,” will read his winning entry as well. Eighth grader Matthew Trebuchon will read his winning thoughts on citizenship in America.

The event is held outdoors at the VFW Memorial in City Hall Plaza unless weather turns inclement, in which case it would move across the street to the First Presbyterian Church. “We’re hoping for good weather so we can do a vintage aircraft flyover and feature a JROTC silent drill platoon,” said Gaddo. “But First Presbyterian is an excellent location if needed and we appreciate the church leaders’ participation.”

The Kiwanis Club of Peachtree City, VFW Post 9949, American Legion post 50 and the City’s Leisure Services Division jointly sponsor this event. Call 770-631-2542 for more information.

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