Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Bessemer's sixth annual Tree of Honor tree lighting ceremony took place in the city's pocket park on Friday. The lit tree and neighboring placard, above, honor veterans from both the Gogebic Range and throughout the country.
BESSEMER - A small crowd gathered at the pocket park on Sophie Street in downtown Bessemer Friday for the sixth annual Tree of Honor tree lighting ceremony that kicks off the city's 4th of July celebration.
The ceremony began with a short speech by event organizer Linda Nelson followed by her reading the names of the veterans and those currently serving in the military - as well as those who submitted the names - that will be featured on the placard next to the 2015 tree of honor.
This was followed by a performance of Toby Keith's "American Soldier" by Alyssa Schwab and the performance of "Taps" by Myron Re and Jake Zielinski of Marty's Goldenaires and a brief fireworks display. As the ceremony's attendees gathered around the placard and lit tree, Schwab closed the ceremony by singing Aaron Tippin's "Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly."
Following the ceremony, Nelson said that the tree would remain lit through the remainder of the city's festivities which end on July 5.
