Athens State’s annual Flag Day Ceremony is scheduled for noon, Friday, June 14, in the Sandridge Student Center Ballroom. The event honors the United States flag and our nation’s armed forces, past and present. J.D. Manders will be this year’s guest speaker.

The Limestone County Honor Guard will present the colors, and Jerry Crabtree will lead the Pledge of Allegiance and recognize our Veterans. Music will be provided by the Athens State Community Band and the Athens State Community Choir. The ceremony is free and open to the public. A complimentary lunch will follow.

J.D. Manders is a children’s author, inspirational writer, poet and motivational speaker. While deployed with the Army National Guard to Iraq and Afghanistan, he wrote “The Fairy Child,” “The Mermaid’s Quest” and “The Christmas Letters” for his children to entertain, instruct and distract them from his absence. He has written numerous other fiction and nonfiction books, including histories and Bible studies. Most recently, he is working on publishing a book of poems. Since his return, he has spoken widely to military service members about serving and the importance of family readiness.

This event is sponsored by the Athens State University Alumni Association. For more information, please contact University Advancement at advancement@athens.edu or (256)-233-8215.