ESCANABA & IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (WZMQ) – On Monday, November 11, the Bay College Civics Corps student club will host its third annual Veterans Speak.
Veterans Speak is a free virtual event. This year’s Veterans Speak will include panelists from the World War II U.S. Merchant Marines and various branches of the United States military who served in different eras. Veterans of different ages and backgrounds will share their experiences and discuss what serving their country has meant to them.
The keynote speaker will be Ms. Judith Aftergut, who is an author, speaker, consultant, and the director of the Honoring Institute. Her “Ways of Honoring” workshops offer tools for finding the best response to any situation, no matter how difficult. Ms. Aftergut has worked as a journalist, facilitator, and consultant and has presented workshops nationally and internationally.
“We’re excited for the keynote speaker’s message about honoring, as that’s what Veterans Speak is about,” shares Chloe Pokovich, Bay College Civics Corps club member. “This year we’re adding a trivia component after the question-and-answer segment—we’re increasing the educational aspect of the evening in a fun and interactive way.”
The Bay College Civics Corps student club continues its work with the organization Waging Dialogue in developing the program, along with partnering with the American Legion Department of Michigan (Upper Peninsula), American Merchant Marine Veterans, and Veterans for All Voters.
“As a result of these partnerships, we are able to bring in veterans from around the country to share about their diverse experiences in this multi-generational listening and story-telling event,” says club member Samantha Combs.
Bay College invites the public to honor U.S. veterans through this unique listening and storytelling event, which runs from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Eastern. To receive the Zoom link for Veterans Speak, contact Bay College Civics Corps Club Advisor Dr. June Klees at kleesj@baycollege.edu.