Lavonia Proclaims Itself a Purple Heart City for 10th Year

Wednesday was Purple Heart Day in cities across the US and on Monday, the City of Lavonia once again declared itself a Purple Heart City by the reading of a special proclamation by Mayor Courtney Umbehant at the August City Council Meeting.

Lavonia has been a Purple Heart City since 2014.

One of the other things a Purple Heart City can do is have signage indicating the City’s support for its Purple Heart veterans.

At the meeting Monday night, an example was displayed of signage that the Mayor said would be put up inside the City limits.

Honored by the City Council and Mayor Monday night were Navy retired veteran and Lavonia VFW Post Commander Vick Thorough, Army veteran and Northeast Georgia District 2 Commander Jason Nichols, and Army Master Sargeant and Lavonia Police Officer – Purple Heart recipient Jonathan Merck.

Chartered by Congress in 1958, The Military Order of the Purple Heart is composed of military men and women who received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds suffered in combat.

The purpose of being a Purple Heart City is to express gratitude to the sons and daughters of our community who were either wounded or killed in combat defending the freedoms enjoyed by all Americans.

Today there are more than 900 Purple Heart locations in the United States, honoring the 1.6 million Purple Heart recipients.