Alpena hosts Purple Heart Day ceremony Friday
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ALPENA – Residents are encouraged to come out and support local veterans at the Purple Heart Day ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. on Friday at Veterans Park.
The free event, organized by the Alpena Veterans' Council under Marine Corps League Alpena Detachment 1327, will honor Purple Heart recipients and recognize the city's designation as a Purple Heart City, granted in November 2025.
The program starts with a color guard marching in and posting the colors, followed by a speaker. Officials will then present a plaque and certificate to the mayor before raising the Purple Heart flag at the Veterans Memorial on Washington Avenue.
Jason Gillespie, junior vice commandant of Detachment 1327 and a Marine who oversees the council this year, said the ceremony is a chance to show appreciation.
"As it stands right now, when everyone gathers at 11am we are going to have the color guard march in the colors, post the colors, and then there will be a speaker," Gillespie explained. "After the speech we will present the plaque and certificate to the mayor, then raise the flag."
Gillespie noted the event is personal for him. "We just became a Purple Heart City and there are a lot of Purple Heart veterans in the area that don't get recognized," he said. "My father, Dennis Gillespie, was one of them, so it's kind of personal for me, especially as a Marine myself."
He and other volunteers recently cleaned and prepared the park, painting the flagpole, trimming hedges and tending the memorial.
"I hope that more people are inspired to get involved and show our local veterans the recognition they deserve," Gillespie stated. "We would like to be able to make this an annual event, every Aug. 7."
No registration is needed.