By Ed Riley
We started our Independence Day’s activities at 10 am on the beach attending the 2nd annual reading of the Declaration of Independence. This tradition was started last year and continued this year by the same 3 guys – Lamont Meaux, Larry Wolfe and Doc Brown, all veterans of the U.S. armed forces and all of the Ramada Beach subdivision. The three had previously roped off a section of beach adjacent to that addition and all wore hats in the style of 1776.
Lamont started the proceedings reading a modern day preamble which explained the purpose of the declaration and its intentions relevant to today. Doc then began to read from the actual Declaration of Independence, pausing only to take his glasses out of his pocket and to don them. (The words were quite small!) At a mid-point, Larry took the reins and completed the reading in an expressive and animated style.
Last year’s attendance was stated to have been around 30 people, easily beaten this year with a very appreciative group in excess of 60 , all wearing red, white and blue. A rousing round of applause followed by hand-shakes and hugs all around ended the occasion and the crowd dispersed with the intention of spreading the word and looking to swell the attendance next year.
Ed
Very well done!
This is wonderful! Congratulations on such fine attendance. We hope to join you next year.
Marcel and Linda C. Elissalde
Great article, Ed. Well put. Thanks.