Wounded and fallen service members whose lives connected with Cullman and Morgan Counties will be honored this month at a public Purple Heart memorial service in Hartselle.

On Saturday, Aug. 10, the annual commemoration will be held at Hartselle’s Sparkman Park (1102 Madison Street SW, Hartselle) at 10 a.m. to recognize deceased military members from the two-county area who either were killed in action, or who received a Purple Heart after being wounded and passed away later in their lives.

Elected officials and community leaders from both Cullman and Morgan Counties will take part in the event, with associate Cullman County commissioner Kelly Duke among those scheduled to read the names of this year’s honorees. Every year in August, the Finis J. Self Chapter 2212 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart sponsors the event, which also recognizes each honoree with a monument inscription at the park.

As officials read aloud the names of this year’s honorees, each name will be accompanied by the sounding of a bell, with the soldier’s attending family member or friend, if present, receiving a small Purple Heart flag.

The guest speaker at this year’s ceremony will be retired Col. Leonard Kiser; Duke and Hartselle Mayor Randy Garrison, alongside Alabama House Rep. Terri Collins and Morgan County Commission chairman Ray Long, will present the names of the honorees. Cadets from the Morgan County School Career Tech JROTC will post the colors, with Vietnam veteran Woody Carpenter overseeing the POW/MIA ceremony.

For more information about this year’s ceremony, or to learn more about purchasing a commemorative brick for a veteran or having a Purple Heart recipient’s name inscribed on the monument, contact Clifford Gissell by phone at 256-338-5617 or via email at tothemax42@gmail.com.