Gardner-Webb to Observe Veterans Day on Nov. 11 with Prayer Service in Dover Chapel

U.S. Air Force Veteran and Gardner-Webb Adjunct Professor Jim Rennie to Speak at 11 a.m.

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—Joining communities across the nation in honoring those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, Gardner-Webb University will host a Veterans Day prayer service on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. in Dover Chapel. Faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members are invited to gather for a time of reflection, gratitude and prayer in recognition of veterans and their sacrifices.

The observance takes place at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, commemorating the moment fighting ceased in World War I in 1918. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 as Armistice Day in 1919, and in 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower redesignated it as Veterans Day, a national holiday honoring all who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

“This is a unique opportunity for our University to gather and honor our veterans,” noted Vice President and University Chaplain for Christian Life and Service Dr. Josh Parrott. “We are thankful for all who served our nation, and we continue to pray for those actively deployed around the globe.”

The message will be delivered by Dr. Jim Rennie, retired U.S. Air Force colonel and adjunct instructor at Gardner-Webb.

The service will begin with the presentation and retrieval of colors by the Gardner-Webb ROTC program. GWU student Charlie Sanabia will perform the National Anthem, and Cadet Caeden Stratton will lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

Nate Evans, president of Gardner-Webb University and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, will offer greetings and the invocation. Paul McElearney, a second lieutenant in the North Carolina Army National Guard, will provide a Scripture reading from 2 Samuel 22:1-4 and introduce the speaker.

The service will also include a rendition of “America the Beautiful” by Lesley Villarose, vice president for student development and dean of students, and a closing prayer by Dr. Erin Cook, associate professor of human services and chair of the Department of Public Service.

The Gardner-Webb Office of Christian Life and Service extends its appreciation to Micah Martin, Lt. Col. Michael Cooper and ROTC cadets Noah Yonkoske, Aidan Enright, Meleah Bruner and Emelia Byczkowski for their contributions to the program.

Auxiliary aids will be made available to persons with disabilities upon request 10 working days prior to the event.  Please call 704-406-4270 or email [email protected] with your request.

Gardner-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., Gardner-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Become More at gardner-webb.edu.