In celebration of Veterans Day, the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association recognized the service and tireless dedication of the region’s veterans — holding the inaugural North Alabama Patriot Trail in Honor of Veterans Celebration at the Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives Thursday, Nov. 7.

“If it wasn’t for the veterans that have gone to battle and put their lives on the line for us, then we wouldn’t have half the things that make our country so great,” AMLA President and CEO Tami Reist told The News Courier. “We feel like it’s important to not only honor the older generation, who have paved the way for us to have the lives we have today, but to also educate and teach the younger generation about the sacrifices our veterans have made for us.”

During the two-hour celebration, Reist introduced keynote speakers Major General Janet Cobb — executive director of the U.S.S. Alabama Battleship Memorial Park — and Priceville Mayor Sam Heflin, who sparked the idea that led to the North Alabama Patriot Trail. Local elected officials such as Limestone County Commission Chairman Collin Daly and Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks also spoke during the event.

“I think this is a great mission to show just how much our region has done, and continues to do, for our veterans,” Marks said. “As a veteran, I honor and support this effort 100 percent, because so often we fail to recognize those people who have given their heart, soul and passion to the greatest country in the world. This is the time of the year to look back and reflect on all that we should be thankful for, and we are definitely thankful for our veterans in our community.”

The North Alabama Patriot Trail showcases significant landmarks that commemorate the valor of America’s veterans, featuring locations such as memorial parks, veterans’ memorials and museums throughout the region.

During the inaugural celebration, Reist also announced two new travel tools along the North Alabama Patriot Trail — which will provide a more connected and immersive journey for travelers wishing to pay tribute and learn more about North Alabama’s proud military history.

These new travel tools Include:

— The North Alabama Patriot Trail GeoTour Passport: Geocaching is a global, outdoor treasure hunt application that utilizes GPS-enabled devices. More than three million geocaches are currently hidden in over 190 countries worldwide, with over seven million active participants around the world. The caches come in all shapes, sizes and difficulties to locate, navigating participants through clues and coordinates via cell phone. It is a fun, free and family-friendly outdoor activity that anyone can do at any time on the trail. AMLA has 19 caches hidden around the region designed to take participants on a patriotic adventure through North Alabama. To play, download a passport from the North Alabama website. Geocachers can also register for a free account on geocaching.com and download the app. Use the clues and coordinates to navigate to the corresponding caches and record the date the cache was found on the passport. Cachers who record 15 of the 19 locations are eligible to receive a North Alabama Patriot Trail Geocoin.

— The North Alabama Patriot Trail Mobile Pass: A new digital passport available via Bandwango, this free platform highlights the 61 patriot sites found on the North Alabama Patriot Trail. Before or during a visit to North Alabama, visitors can sign up for the digital passport from the North ALabama website. Bandwango will then send a passport link to the user’s phone providing convenient access during their trip. Those checking in at 25 locations will earn a free prize from AMLA.

“We’re excited to celebrate Veterans Day by providing visitors with tools that make the North Alabama Patriot Trail more accessible and meaningful,” Reist stated in a release from AMLA. “By honoring our veterans through this immersive experience, we hope to keep the spirit of their service alive for future generations.”

Vets Like Us and the Limestone County Veterans Service Office provided outreach tables and there were refreshments, video presentations and patriotic music. Plans are to rotate the celebration to a different county in AMLA’s 16 county region in the following years.

Earlier this year, AMLA developed and released a new trail and accompanying brochure highlighting for visitors and residents destinations and events that honor all those who have served or are currently serving in the military forces of America. The North Alabama Patriot Trail offers a self-guided tour of 79 patriotic stops in the 16 northernmost counties of Alabama. The brochure is a 12-page handy guide to memorial parks, museums, memorials, markers, archives, noteworthy locations, festivals, specials events and parades to visit in the 16 northernmost counties of North Alabama (Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston counties). The listings contain a description, address, phone number and website so travelers can easily plan a visit.

“The North Alabama Patriot Trail joins AMLA’s 10 existing trails and is part of our overall initiative to attract visitors while honoring those who have served or are currently serving in our country’s Armed Forces,” said Reist. “In developing this trail, we wanted to put patriotism on full display. Here in North Alabama, we are proud of the brave veterans who have made significant sacrifices for our nation’s freedom and the North Alabama Patriot Trail and brochure are a symbol of our gratitude for their service.”

A copy of the 12-page North Alabama Patriot Trail brochure, which offers a self-guided tour of 79 patriotic stops in the 16 northernmost counties of the state, is available for download at northalabama.org.