More than 100 new Salute to Veterans Memorial Markers were unveiled Sunday during a ceremony at Rock Creek Veterans Park in Gainesville.
The markers were placed by the Rotary Club of Hall County and each one recognizes a veteran that lived in Hall County or that has a family member who does.
Dianne Cammarata, past president of the Rotary Club of Hall County, said the idea for the project came from an American Legion project in Dahlonega.
"They have over 1,000 markers in Dahlonega and it was very touching," Cammarata said. "We just felt like we needed to honor the veterans in Hall County and our community."
Sunday's ceremony was an annual event held ahead of Veterans Day. One of the speakers was Gainesville native and former 9th District U.S. Congressman Doug Collins.
"It's good to be here and we're here for a special purpose," Collins said. "It's about Veterans Day, it's about understanding where we are, and the Rotary Club for noticing this and taking part of this and your work in these monuments. It means something beyond this."
Gainesville Mayor Sam Couvillon also spoke to the veterans in attendance at the event.
"I don't feel that I'm worthy to be the one speaking to all of you. You are the ones who made that commitment to serve for our country," Couvillon said. "Freedom of the press, freedom of speech, there are people like Sam Couvillon who take that stuff for granted. It's a moment like this in a ceremony like this when everything is kind of corrected and you know where we are. We are blessed because of people like you."
