Alvin Townley - FRI. November 11, 2016 - 11:00 am to Noon - Smyrna, Georgia’s Veterans Day Ceremony at the Veterans Memorial

On Friday, November 11, 2016 from 11:00 am to Noon, Smyrna, Georgia’s Veterans Day Ceremony will be at the Veterans Memorial at 2800 King Street, Smyrna, Georgia, located by Smyrna City Hall and the Smyrna Library. The event and parking are free. The ceremony features Alvin Townley, best-selling author of books like Defiant, Fly Navy, Spirit of Adventure and Legacy of Honor. His books are full of inspiring stories of human spirit. Defiant reveals the astonishing and unknown true story of eleven American POWs the North Vietnamese identified as their least cooperative and most subversive captives. 2011’s Fly Navy explores the aviators, aircraft and stories of American naval aviation's first 100 years.

Townley’s presentations have inspired audiences across North America. His books have earned praise from many. He has appeared on or in CNN, NPR, FOX, USA Today, and many other local and national media outlets. He and his wife Suzanne live in Atlanta.

Townley graduated from Washington & Lee University, worked in the U.S. Congress, and helped manage global strategy for a top international consulting firm. He’s now a leadership consultant and Director of Corporate Philanthropy and Veterans Programs at Atlanta’s Woodruff Arts Center, the nation's third largest.

Rounding out the program are crowd favorites, the Whitefield Academy Concert Band and the Campbell Middle School Choir. They will perform the National Anthem, America the Beautiful and other songs.

The event is sponsored by The City of Smyrna, the Smyrna Veterans Committee, the Veterans Memorial Association of Smyrna, American Legion Post 160 and the Smyrna Rotary Club.

In case of inclement weather, the event will be inside the adjacent Smyrna Community Center.

By Linda Hedrick and Narayan Sengupta. Photos by Patricia W. Huff