Patriots Day luncheon scheduled Nov. 10; honorees announced
The Gadsden-Etowah Patriots Association Patriots Day luncheon returns this year, after the event was canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The luncheon, followed by Gadsden's Veterans Parade, will be Nov. 10 at The Venue at Coosa Landing, GEPA President Leonard Kiser said.
Kiser, a retired colonel in the Army National Guard, said association members are pleased to be getting back on track with the event's return.
As it does with each luncheon, the association will induct new members into the Patriots Hall of Honor, This year's honorees are:
• Maj. Jeffery O. Ausborn, U.S. Air Force
• Retired LTC James Edward Hanks, U.S. Army
• Retired CSM Connie Grant, U.S. Army
• Retired LTC Dave Jensen, U.S. Army
• Etowah County Sheriff's Department Deputy Sgt. Lanny Handy
• Etowah County Commissioner Johnny Grant
The association accepts nominations from the public for honorees, and it does not require past military service to consider candidates. As association members have long stressed, service in the community is a form of patriotism.
Tickets are $25 for the luncheon, and are on sale at The Chamber of Gadsden & Etowah County, and at the Etowah Area Tourism Board office.
Kiser said he's excited to hear from this year's event speaker — retired Brig. Gen. John Scales, who as assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division and later led a rifle platoon in Vietnam. He joined the 101st Airborne upon returning to the United States.
Scales left active duty in 1975 and joined the 20th Special Forces Group of the Alabama National Guard, while getting a master's degree at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He worked as an educator and a scientist, and continued to advance in his career with the guard.
After 9/11, he was assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command and led a combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan.
Scale retired from the military in late 2002, and continued his career as an engineer in Huntsville. He's been granted six patents and published three military history books and one novel.
Doors will open at 11 a.m. for the luncheon and the program will begin at 11:45 a.m. It will end at 1 p.m., to be followed by the Veterans Parade downtown.
The event is sponsored by the GEPA, the Gadsden-Etowah Tourism Board, the City of Gadsden and the Etowah County Commission.
Contact Gadsden Times reporter Donna Thornton at 256-393-3284 or donna.thornton@gadsdentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Patriot's Day luncheon scheduled Nov. 10; honorees announced
