The City of Powell invites the community to attend the annual Veterans Day Ceremony at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 11, at the Greater Powell Veterans Memorial in Village Green Park (47 Hall St.). The event will honor and remember the sacrifice of all who have served in the United States military past and present.
The program will include remarks from Powell Mayor Dan Swartwout and State of Ohio Assistant Director of Veterans Services Sean McCarthy. Powell Police Chief Stephen Hrytzik will dedicate three new bricks into the Greater Powell Veterans Memorial, honoring C.P. (Pete) Watts, Jr. (U.S. Marine Corps), Alfred Farrell (U.S. Army & U.S. Army Reserve), and Richard Haussner (U.S. Army).
Good News Church Pastor Cody Balch will perform the invocation and benediction. The Powell Community Band will perform the national anthem and additional works live for the ceremony.
In the event of inclement weather, the program will move inside the City of Powell Municipal Building Council Chambers.
About the Greater Powell Veterans Memorial
Opened in 2009, the Greater Powell Veterans Memorial is a place to honor, reflect, and remember those who have served in the United States military. Its creation came about when a local solider was killed in action in Iraq, stirring a desire in the community to establish a way to remember and honor him, and all veterans, for their sacrifice. The Greater Powell Veterans Memorial Foundation was formed and plans for the monument began.
Ceremonies are held at the memorial three times each year for Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Patriot Day (Liberty Township Fire Department).
The Greater Powell Veterans Memorial Brick Program offers families the opportunity to induct their veteran into the monument via a brick engraved with the honoree’s name, branch of service, the name of the war in which he or she fought, specific achievement, or years of service.
About guest speaker McCarthy
McCarthy currently serves as assistant director of the Ohio Department of Veterans Services, a cabinet agency with more than 1,000 employees engaged in healthcare, education, and employment. Prior to this appointment, he served as general counsel for that department.
Earlier in his career, McCarthy served as a judge in Franklin County Municipal Court and on the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. Following his service in Common Pleas, he was transferred to the list of retired judges and briefly served as a visiting judge. He began public life as an assistant prosecutor in Franklin County, prosecuting violent crimes and later serving as deputy director of the Drug Prosecution Unit.
Following 9/11, McCarthy volunteered for service in the Ohio Army National Guard. His service included multiple assignments in Ohio, mobilization to Mississippi and Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina, and deployment to Afghanistan with an infantry brigade.
