“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” — Preamble to the United States Constitution

This year marks the 231st anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution, and the public is invited to celebrate Monday and maybe even learn a thing or two.

The John Wade Keyes Daughters of the American Revolution and Athens State University are again teaming up to host the event. A free hot dog lunch begins at 11 a.m. at the Sandridge Student Center, while the program starts at noon at McCandless Hall.

DAR member Diane Lehr said this represents the fourth year the program has been held at Athens State. It has grown in popularity over the years, she said.

The goal of the program, Lehr said, is to promote the Constitution’s importance to the country while also highlighting the freedoms and liberties it guarantees.

“There are places in the world where armies pledge allegiance to a political party,” she said. “In our country, our military makes a promise to defend the Constitution, and that’s important for us to know.”

The DAR has honored the Constitution each year since petitioning Congress in 1955 to set aside Sept. 17-23 for Constitution Week. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the resolution into law on Aug. 2, 1956.

Featured speaker

Lehr said featured speaker Retired U.S. Army Col. Joe Gaines will explain what life is like in countries that do not have a constitution. Gaines, who now serves as deputy chief of staff of the Missile Defense Agency, has traveled all over the world and has the experience to speak on the topic.

Prior to his retirement in 2012, Gaines served for 26 years as an Army Air Defense Artillery officer in a variety of assignments. He commanded the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll Garrison and the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

He assumed his current position in September 2014.

Other attractions

In addition to Gaines’ speech, Monday’s event will also feature a dramatic presentation by Ruth Guertin and Karen Middleton as well as patriotic music by Dr. Ronnie Merritt, played on the 1892 tracker-action pipe organ at McCandless. Jim Thompson will also provide music.

The DAR Regent Brenda Winter and Athens State University professors Ron Fritze and Debra Baird will also present scholarships to local students. Lehr said members from the national and state DAR would also be in attendance Monday.

“I think it’s more important than ever to understand the Founding Fathers wrote a document superior to the condition of the world at that time,” she said. “They spoke of freedom and honor. The Constitution is a higher calling for all of us to remember we have the ability to vote and express our opinions.”