The Colonel George Waller Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution will sponsor the Martinsville-Henry County “Sharing the Spirit of America” on Wednesday, July 8, at the Martinsville-Henry County Heritage Museum (MHC Heritage Museum), 1 East Main Street, Uptown Martinsville.
The event will begin at 5:30 p.m., with the reading of the Declaration of Independence at 6 p.m., and the Independence Walk at 6:30 p.m.
The nationwide project commemorates the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776, by Colonel John Nixon at the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall) in Philadelphia. The country’s founding document will be read at the same time across 9,500 miles of the United States and its territories and ten different time zones.
The 1-mile Independence Walk will be coordinated and led by All Vets, a local nonprofit organization, to honor the fallen, including those from the American Revolution, and strengthen the living while promoting physical fitness and wellness in our community. U. S. Navy Veteran Hallie Elizabeth Rodgers, All Vets Chair, will offer remarks.
Colonel Nixon will be portrayed by Max Hall. Hall is an educator, writer, actor, videographer, and entertainer who has worked locally in both the public school system and the arts community, including the P&HCC Patriot Players and TheatreWorks Community Players.
Still Water, an auditioned small group of the Smith River Singers, will perform during the event. Under the direction of Dr. Pam Randall, the group will sing three songs from their Spring “America the Beautiful” concert. John Phillips, Event Coordinator, stated, “Join us as we come together not only as a community but as Americans across the nation to celebrate the document that started it all. Take advantage of history presented through music, drama, and physical activity.”
All attendees are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue and other patriotic clothing and accessories to the free event. More information is available at https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fp1aGj7Bx/.
The SAR is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to honoring Revolutionary War patriot ancestors by promoting patriotism, serving communities, and educating and inspiring future generations about the founding principles of our country.
