By Lisa Dernick
The time is approaching to honor our fore-fathers in a program that will bring a tear to the eye.
A Patriotic Service at America”s Freedom Festival features Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as this year”s speaker.
Along with Elder Scott”s address, the Freedom Festival”s 2001 Senior Divisions Speech Contest winner will deliver his or her winning discourse, the annual Freedom Awards will be presented and music will be provided by the Wasatch Chorale and the Utah Premier Brass Band.
“It”s one of the many events of the festival where people will leave feeling grateful that they are American and appreciate what our fore-fathers did for them,” said Sheryle Clorward, this year”s president of America”s Freedom Festival.
Clorward said the program is entirely patriotic.
“The service”s purpose is to show what our freedom is all about,” Clorward said. “That”s how we”re unique from other nationwide July 4th events.”
The Patriotic Service will take place at the Marriott Center at BYU on Sunday, July 1, at 7 p.m. The event will mark Elder Scott”s first visit to this annual festival.
Elder Scott has served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since 1988 and as a General Authority since 1977. And he served as a Mission President and a Regional Representative during the time before being called to the Seventy.
Elder Scott is a George Washington University graduate, who obtained a mechanical engineering degree. Later, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, he established postgraduate work in nuclear engineering.
The winner of America”s Freedom Festival Speech Contest will be determined on June 27 by the Provo City Council Chambers. “America Welcomes the World” is the theme for the speech.
The Utah Valley students competing must qualify through a preliminary division on June 20 before advancing to the finals. The contest is open to grades 9-12, who will write a speech 5-7 minutes.
“What we”re looking for is content, delivery, and the speech must be memorized,” said Todd Hendricks, Speech Contest chairman. “The winner of the contest is solid.”
Following the student speech will be a short presentation of the Freedom Award winners.
“Bruce Lindsey, co-anchor KSL-TV will give a brief bio and the recipients will stand,” Clorward said.
A Freedom Award is a prestigious honor presented to notable individuals of any country for their service to freedom and their country.
Loralee Pearson, a vice president of the Festival”s Executive Board, said the award itself is a bald eagle, which represents freedom, and is hand-crafted and fully crystal by the renowned Matt Joansan.
“The award recognizes the tremendous sacrifice these people have made in the cause of liberty,” Pearson said.
Pearson said the main criteria for the individual to meet are as follows: demonstrated unusual or extraordinary devotion to the cause of freedom, risked personal safety or well being to help assure freedom for others, advance significantly the cause of freedom in their areas of influence and fulfilled in an exemplary way those responsibilities, which allow freedom to thrive and grow.
Recipients this year are Mirsada Buric-Adam, William Taylor, Dr. Samuel Billison and Major General Patrick H. Brady, USA (Ret.).
The Wasatch Chorale will be combined with Provo High School Choir. Under the direction of Dr. Arden Hopkin, the 100 voice Chorale will sing original Americana music.
Just one month ago, the Chorale performed in Carnegie Hall in New York City. At that time, the Chorale was directed by Dr. Jerold Ottley, a former director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
A 27 brass-player and five percussionist band, the Utah Premier Brass Band, will be playing before the service begins.
No tickets are needed for the service; however, attendees must be in their seats before 6:45 p.m. Doors will open at 9:30 p.m.
