Habersham County Honors Purple Heart Recipients at Special Luncheon

Jim Morgan, American Legion Post 84 Commander, Amanda Doughty DAV Chapter 15 Commander, and Cole Cleiman, WCHM 94.3FM

Habersham County paused Friday to honor some of the men and women who have sacrificed greatly in service to the United States during a special Purple Heart Day Recognition BBQ Luncheon.

The event was held Friday, August 7, at noon at Habersham EMC Headquarters in Clarkesville and was hosted by the Habersham County Board of Commissioners.

Habersham County Commission Chairman Bruce Harkness served as master of ceremonies for the luncheon, which brought together veterans, Purple Heart recipients, local leaders and members of the community for an afternoon centered on gratitude, remembrance and respect.

Harkness called the event an overwhelming success and said the turnout demonstrated the strong veteran community that calls Habersham County home.

“We had our Purple Heart Veterans Honors Day today at HEMC, and it was an awesome success,” Harkness said. “Probably 100 people showed up, with many veterans and maybe 25 Purple Heart recipients. It was an awesome event, and I was glad that the Habersham County Commission sponsored this event.”

For Harkness, however, the gathering was about much more than attendance. It was an opportunity to make sure those who have served — particularly those who were wounded in that service — understand that their sacrifices have not been forgotten.

“We’re so blessed to have so many veterans who live here, and we need to honor them and appreciate them,” Harkness said.

The Purple Heart is one of the nation’s oldest and most recognized military decorations. It is awarded in the name of the President of the United States to members of the Armed Forces who are wounded or killed as a result of enemy action.

National Purple Heart Day is observed each year on August 7, providing communities across the country an opportunity to recognize Purple Heart recipients and remember the tremendous price paid by service members and their families.

Friday’s luncheon offered Habersham County an opportunity to do that close to home.

Around the tables at Habersham EMC were men and women whose military service represents different generations and different chapters of American history.

Among them were Purple Heart recipients whose medals tell stories that often cannot be captured by a ceremony, a proclamation or even words of thanks.

Yet taking the time to say thank you still matters.

Bill Miles, retired U S Army Veteran (28 years of service), Iraq War Purple Heart recipient, offered his words of wisdom and insight as a veteran from the Iraq War.

By hosting the Purple Heart Day Recognition luncheon, Habersham County Commissioners made that gratitude public — bringing veterans and community members together to recognize courage, sacrifice and service.

For the Purple Heart recipients in attendance, Friday was a day set aside especially for them.

For Habersham County, it was a chance to make one thing clear: their sacrifice is remembered, their service is valued, and their community is grateful.