The 18th Annual Jackson County Veterans Day Program will be held on Friday, November 9, 2018, at 11:00 a.m., at the Veterans Memorial Monument located in downtown Moss Point. This is open to all citizens, churches, organizations, businesses, youth groups and the public at large, to participate in this annual program, honoring Jackson County’s veterans past and present. All are invited to join for free food and displays on the lawn next to the monument following the program. The Keynote Speaker is Nick Overby, Assistant Superintendent for the Moss Point School District.
The program will begin at 11:00 a.m. with a welcome by the Master of Ceremonies, Carla Todd Voda, IOM, President and CEO of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. Following it will be the Presentation of Colors by the Pascagoula High School NJROTC Color Guard, National Anthem by Dr. Kimberly Cox Rasmussen, Pledge of Allegiance by Cedrick Hurd, welcome by Sue Wright (Director, City of Moss Point Economic Development), invocation (Senior Pastor Reverend James H. Christian, Sr.), Armed Forces songs and POW/MIA ceremony. There will be a Presentation of the Wreath for the Fallen, recognizing in memory the following fallen soldiers: Major Michael Green, United States Army; Master Sergeant Scott E. Pruitt, United States Marine Corps; Master Sergeant Coater DeBose, United States Army; Sergeant First Class Sean M. Cooley, United States Army; and Sergeant Terrance D. Lee, Sr., United States Army. Following the Keynote Speaker’s address will be the benediction. Before the conclusion of the ceremony there will be the Military Gun Salute and Taps led by American Legion Post #160.
This year’s Keynote Speaker, Nick Overby, is the son of Leonard E. and Norma S. Overby. He graduated from Pascagoula High School in 1983. Overby earned a B.S. Degree in History from The University of Southern Mississippi in 1988, and a commission in the US Army Reserve as a 2nd Lieutenant. During his military career he graduated from the US Army Transportation School, US Army Quartermaster School, US Army Engineer School and Command and General Staff College. Overby was deployed to Iraq and Kuwait in 2003 to 2004 in service of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Afghanistan in 2010 to 2011 in service of Operation Enduring Freedom. His military career spanned 28 years, and he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Army Reserve in 2016, as a logistician.
Overby taught school from 1993 to 1998, serving at Ed Mayo Junior High School in the Moss Point School District and Bayou View Junior High School/Gulfport High School in the Gulfport School District. He graduated from William Carey College in 1997, with a Master’s Degree in School Administration. He served as a school administrator (principal and assistant principal) from 1998 to 2016, serving in Harrison County (North Gulfport 7th and 8th grade), Gautier (Gautier Middle School), Pascagoula (William Colmer Middle School) and Bay St. Louis (Bay-Waveland Middle School). From 2016 to 2018, he was the Director of Operations for the Moss Point School District and as of 2018, he is serving as the Assistant Superintendent for the Moss Point School District.
He has been married to the former Beatrice Wangu Githui since January 17, 2003, and they have three children, Andee (20), Alexander (15) and Christian (9). His family has lived in Ocean Springs since 2004.
The Veterans Committee, planning the event, is encouraging residents of Jackson County to attend the program, bring their American flags to wave and show their support for the veterans of all wars and the active duty personnel serving along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. There will be food on the lawn next to the monument following the program. This year’s presenting sponsors are Keesler Federal Credit Union and Mississippi Power. The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce would like to thank the City of Moss Point, all sponsors and the Jackson County Veterans Planning Committee for making this event possible.
To volunteer in this year’s Jackson County Veterans Day Program, call Linda Johnson at the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce at 228-762-3391 or email JohnsonL@jcchamber.com.
