Veterans Day parade, ceremony set for Friday morning, November 10th

Thank a Veteran! Attend the Veterans Day Paradeand 10 a.m. Veterans Day ceremony Friday, November 10th in downtown Donalsonville

The annual Seminole County Veterans Day Parade is set for 9:40 a.m. Friday, November 10th in downtown Donalsonville. All veterans, officers, enlisted military personnel and family member(s) of servicemen and women currently deployed are encouraged to participate. For all walkers and riders the parade line up will begin at 9:15 on the corner of Second Street and Tennille Avenue, behind First Port City Bank, formerly Ponder Enterprises. 

Second Street businesses are encouraged to show the colors, and groups, churches and individuals are invited to decorate a golf cart or a vehicle, and join the annual salute honoring this community’s veterans. The parade will begin at approximately 9:40 a.m. and travel down Second Street beginning at Tennille Avenue and ending at the Courthouse for the 10 a.m. ceremony.  

Veteran Melvin Keith Smith will be the keynote speaker for the event.  Smith is originally from Blakely, Georgia. He is the youngest of eight kids born to the late Deacon Willie B. Smith Sr. of St. Maryland MBC and Mrs. Millie D. Smith of Wesley Chapel AMEC.

Keith enlisted in the Army National Guard at age 17. After graduating from Early County High School in 1992, he was accepted into North Georgia Military College where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in political science. In 1996 he commissioned as an active duty officer and the Army trained him to become a Blackhawk helicopter pilot. He later served as a Military Police officer. While serving in the military he earned a Master’s degree in business and organizational security from Webster University in St. Louis, MO as well as a Master’s degree in military studies from Ft. Leavenworth, KS. Throughout his military career, he completed various overseas assignments to include four wartime deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2016, he retired after completing 21 years of military service.

During his travels in the military, Keith had the opportunity to preach the gospel in various parts of the world. He was initially licensed as a nondenominational minister in 2002 under Chaplain Dr. Pekola Roberts. In 2003 he was licensed in the AME Church and served at Bethel AMEC in Hinesville, Georgia under Pastor Ronald Owens. In 2016 he was licensed to preach in the Missionary Baptist Church and served under Pastor Roosevelt Gardener at St. Maryland MBC in Blakely. Keith currently serves as an associate minister at Jerusalem AMEC in Blakely under Pastor M.A. Rambeau. His current hobbies include fitness, gardening, construction, working on old vehicles, and helping people in the community.

Minister Keith currently resides in Donalsonville.

For additional information contact the Donalsonville News at 229-524-2343, or the Chamber of Commerce at 229-524-2588.