Young Marines to Unveil Plaque at National Cemetery of the Pacific
Washington D.C. (PRWEB) December 01, 2015 -- More than 100 youth members of the Young Marines will be in attendance at the unveiling of a plaque on the Memorial Walkway at the National Cemetery of the Pacific - the Punchbowl - in Honolulu, Hawaii, at 10 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 6. The unveiling is part of the 74th anniversary Pearl Harbor Day Commemoration.
The plaque reads: "Young Marines, a National Youth Organization – Honoring the legacy of our pacific campaign veterans through education and patriotic volunteerism."
The unveiling ceremony will open with an invocation, and the keynote speaker is National Executive Director/CEO Mike Kessler. Also in attendance will be retired and active duty members of the military, more than 100 youth members of the Young Marines, and distinguished members of the community.
Schedule of events:
10 a.m. Ceremony Begins
Guest of Honor: LtGen John Toolin, USMC
TV and film star Adam Baldwin, an ambassador for the Young Marines, plays Commander Mike Slattery on TNT’s The Last Ship.
SgtMaj Gene Overstreet, USMC (Ret) 12th Sgt. Major of the Marine Corps
LtGen Hank Stackpole, USMC (Ret)
Col Richard Yoder, YM Board Member, USMC (Ret)
10:30 a.m. Relocate to Memorial Stone
10:40 a.m. Arrive at the stone
10:45 a.m. Unveil the Memorial Stone and lay the wreath
10:50 a.m. Taps
“We are proud to be the first youth organization to install one of these meaningful plaques,” Kessler said. “Young Marines are dedicated to veterans everywhere; our youth members are learning history from those who made history."
On the same day and as part of the plaque unveiling ceremony, the Young Marines will perform a wreath laying at the Punchbowl, in memory of all the brave men and women who are interred there.
On Monday, Dec.7, the Young Marines will lead the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade in Honolulu. They will carry the banners of the 12 capital ships that were attacked. The parade’s objective is to honor the heroes and survivors of Pearl Harbor and World War II; to pay tribute to veterans, active duty military members and military families; to celebrate freedom; and to remember the heinous events of Dec. 7, 1941.
The participating Young Marines units are:
• Douglas County Young Marines, Parker, Colorado
• Carbon Glacier Young Marines, Enumclaw, Washington
• Cincinnati Young Marines, Cincinnati, Ohio
• LCpl. Worley Young Marines, South el Marte, California
• Columbia River Young Marines, Kennewick, Washington
• Chesty Puller Young Marines, Rootstown, Ohio
• Oregon Cascade Young Marines, Vancouver, Washington
• Poudre River Young Marines, Greeley, Colorado
• Tehama County Young Marines, Red Bluff, California
• Natchaung River Young Marines, Dayville, Connecticut
• National Headquarters, Washington, DC
Young Marines units raised funds at their local levels to supplement the costs of traveling to Hawaii to attend the commemoration ceremonies. The youths used their creativity and applied the program’s core values - leadership, teamwork and discipline - to implement unique and effective fundraising efforts.
The Young Marines is a national non-profit 501c(3) youth education and service program for boys and girls, age eight through the completion of high school. The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral and physical development of its members. The program focuses on teaching the values of leadership, teamwork and self-discipline, so its members can live and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.
Since the Young Marines' humble beginnings in 1959 with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown to 280 units with 7,000 youth and 2,500 adult volunteers in 40 states, the District of Columbia and Okinawa with affiliates in other countries.
For more information, visit http://www.YoungMarines.com.
Andy Richardson, Ginny Richardson Public Relations, http://www.gr-pr.com, +1 (630) 789-8899, [email protected]
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