American Legion Post 57

Post 27 Commander Ron Freese presents the Veteran of the Year plaque for 2010 to WWII veteran Jim Goodrum, left Photo by Lisa Carroll World War II veteran Jim Goodrum was recognized as Veteran of the Year in ceremonies Thursday at Newnan's Veterans Memorial Plaza. Goodrum, who lives in the Sharpsburg area, attended the ceremonies with his wife Elsie and daughter Linda. "I am really overwhelmed by being chosen as Veteran of the Year. By honoring me, I feel like you're also honoring every man who served on the USS Bogue with me" and "every person who has put on a military uniform in the service of the United States of America," he said. About 450 people attended the annual Veterans Day event. Jeff Carroll, Sergeant at Arms of Alvin Hugh Harris American Legion Post 57, was master of ceremonies for the program. The Veteran of the Year is named annually by the local American Legion Post. Current Commander Ronald Freese presented a plaque with two Ameri

Rob Tornow and Harold Barron, local veterans who died since the last Veterans Day, were remembered at Newnan and Coweta's Veterans Day tribute on Thursday. The event was held at Veterans Memorial Plaza at Jackson Street and Temple Avenue, which was created as the result of work by a committee that included Barron and Tornow. Ronald Freese, commander of Alvin Hugh Harris American Legion Post 57, presented American flags in glassed boxes to Tornow's wife, Barbara, and Katie Brady, Harold Barron's daughter. Jeff Carroll, American Legion Sgt at Arms and master of ceremonies, spoke of the work Rob Tornow and Harold Barron put into making Veterans Memorial Plaza a reality. "The park is the culmination of the vision of these two men and a a lot of other people in the community," he said. Tornow and Barron were the caliber of leaders "we may never see again," Carroll said. "I hope one day to be some fraction of what they were to this community."