Snellville City Hall Purple Heart parking sign.Snellville is now a Purple Heart City.
A proclamation was read at Monday's council meeting officially designating the city as one which pays tribute to the men and women who have been awarded the Purple Heart Medal.
The Purple Heart is awarded to "members of the armed forces of the U.S. who are wounded by an instrument of war in the hands of the enemy and posthumously to the next of kin in the name of those who are killed in action or die of wounds received in action," according to the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
"This is a time to honor the service and sacrifice of our nation's men and women in uniform wounded or killed by the enemy while serving to protect the freedoms enjoyed by all Americans," the proclamation reads.
Mayor Pro Tem Barbara Bender presents the proclamation to Purple Heart Medal recipients.As a Purple Heart City, Snellville will observe Purple Heart Day each Aug. 7. The city recently reserved a parking spot at City Hall for Purple Heart recipients. Signs are currently being made by the Georgia Department of Transportation which will be placed at the entrance of the city limits in the near future identifying Snellville as a Purple Heart City.
Nine Purple Heart Medal recipients were at the council meeting and recognized for their service, including Matthew Bridges, National Purple Heart Legacy & Trail coordinator.
Purple Heart Medal recipients gathered in front of the Purple Heart parking spot sign at City Hall. From left are Lester Erving, James Gordon, Matthew Bridges, Bill Jones, Stan Mauldin, Don Bullard, John Hawes, Lou Zayas and Jerry Hughes."The Legacy and Trail Program encompasses not just cities and counties, but all entities that want to honor our Purple Heart recipients," Bridges said. "We sure appreciate you doing that (and joining) that long line of entities in the State of Georgia."