'They did what they had to do'

City holds Veterans Day Ceremony with Quilts of Valor

Simpsonville, S.C. — The City of Simpsonville held its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Thursday at Summit Church, where four veterans received quilts from Quilts of Valor.

Moved inside from Veterans Corner due to the rain, the Ceremony featured keynote speaker the Rev. Dr. J. Michael Smith OSL of Simpsonville United Methodist Church. Rev. Smith, a former chaplain in the U.S. Army and S.C. National Guard, said veterans "did what they had to do" in service of the country.

"This great melting pot of patriotism and service, courage and commitment to a cause greater than themselves, each of them, all of them—they did what they had to do," Rev. Smith said. "So as we gather here today, let us remember that Veterans Day is not Independence Day, but it is a day to celebrate freedom, the freedom that makes ours the greatest nation on the face of this earth, freedom secured for us by countless men and women who did what they had to do for the sake of freedom."

Rev. Dr. J. Michael Smith OSL, former chaplain in the U.S. Army and S.C. National Guard, gave the keynote speech at the Veterans Day Ceremony | City of Simpsonville

Normally held at Veterans Corner on South East Main Street, the Simpsonville Veterans Day Ceremony is an opportunity for the City to publicly acknowledge the sacrifices that veterans have made and express gratitude for those sacrifices. Mayor Paul Shewmaker said at the Ceremony that the Simpsonville community reflects with pride this Veterans Day.

"We are filled with pride and awe," Mayor Shewmaker said. "We have gratitude for the victories because they have kept us free from the things that are repugnant to who we are. We are filled with pride and awe in the heroism of those who have died in this country’s service and to those who have returned to our loving arms. Your sacrifice has given opportunities to America to prosper in peace and justice. That is the example to all nations."

Mayor Paul Shewmaker welcomed veterans and attendees to the Simpsonville Veterans Day Ceremony at Summit Church on Nov. 11, 2021 | City of Simpsonville

Following the keynote speech by Rev. Smith, Quilts of Valor presented quilts to four veterans.  U.S. Army veteran Tamika Rowe presented the quilts to the veterans Nathan Castle of the U.S. Air Force and Simpsonville Fire Department; Bradley Christy of the U.S. Army; David Dykes of the U.S. Navy and Travis Holt of the U.S. Navy and Simpsonville Fire Department.

Rowe said a quilt from the Quilts of Valor Foundation is the highest honor that a civilian can bestow upon a veteran.

"Our foundation represents one human being reaching out and touching another without judgment, with acceptance and acknowledging service to our great nation in trying circumstances," Rowe said, who added that Quilts of Valor has awarded quilts to nearly 300,000 veterans since its founding in 2003. "All us as veterans, we know at some point or another, we took an oath to serve this country, and today we want to honor you."

U.S. Army veteran Tamika Rowe presented quilts from the Quilts of Valor Foundation to four veterans at the Veterans Day Ceremony | City of Simpsonville

The City of Simpsonville thanks Nathan Forrest of Summit Church for providing the invocation; keynote speaker Rev. Smith; Tamika Rowe; the Quilts of Valor recipients and all veterans and members of the public who attended the Veterans Day Ceremony.

Nathan Castle of the U.S. Air Force and Simpsonville Fire Department; Bradley Christy of the U.S. Army; David Dykes of the U.S. Navy and Travis Holt of the U.S. Navy and Simpsonville Fire Department were awarded quilts by the Quilts of Valor Foundation at the Veterans Day Ceremony | City of Simpsonville