Alpharetta Rotary To Host Memorial Day Tribute To Honor Heroes

ALPHARETTA, GA -- The City of Alpharetta and the Rotary Club of Alpharetta will host the 5th Annual Memorial Day Tribute on Monday, May 27. The music begins at 9 a.m. and the program begins at 9:30 a.m. at Alpharetta City Hall, located at 2 Park Plaza. The event is free for the public to attend.

“America’s fallen heroes paid the ultimate price for the freedom we enjoy today," Mayor Jim Gilvin said in a release. "Alpharetta’s Memorial Day Tribute is a wonderful opportunity to come together and honor those men and women for their sacrifices.”

The Memorial Day Tribute will start off with music by the Alpharetta City Band at 9 a.m. The program begins at 9:30 a.m. which will include: Invocation, Posting of Colors, Pledge of Allegiance, National Anthem, keynote speaker, laying of the wreath, Rifle Salute and “Taps." The National Anthem will be sung by rising Alpharetta High School senior, Johnny Serafino. The keynote speech will be given by Brigadier General Thomas H. Blackstock Jr., and “Taps” will be played by 2019 Alpharetta High School graduate, Nick Amundsen.

The esteemed keynote speaker, Brigadier General Thomas H. Blackstock Jr., will make the Memorial Day Tribute a truly memorable occasion. His extensive resume touts his commitment to the Army of the United States of America, with his first military assignment starting in 1988. Over his 30-year-long career he has completed a multitude of assignments, traveling to Saudi Arabia, Central America, Afghanistan, and various states in the U.S. With over 30 decorations and badges, including a Defense Superior Service Medal, a Bronze Star Medal and Meritorious Service Medal, Brigadier General Blackstock exemplifies the American spirit.

Not only an Army man, Brigadier General Blackstock Jr. is an accomplished academic, graduating from Georgia Tech with a B.S. in Civil Engineering, a M.B.A. in Business Administration from Touro University International and a M.S. in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. Brigadier General Blackstock is the Assistant Adjutant General with duty as Commanding General in the 78th Troop Command and Commanding General in the Georgia State Defense Force.

“Memorial Day is a time to pay tribute to the brave men and women of our military who sacrificed their lives for our freedom," John Hipes, Chairman of the Memorial Day Tribute, said in a release. "I welcome Alpharetta and the surrounding communities to join us on May 27 as we honor those who sacrificed everything, and we celebrate freedom in this great country of ours.”