Ohio Northern University will celebrate the contributions of American service members with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Henry Soloman Lehr statue adjacent to James F. Dicke Hall on Monday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The ceremony will feature reflections concerning veterans from guest speaker Paul Hartman, ONU assistant professor of operations research and supply chain management, who served in the Air Force for 20 years before retiring from the Pentagon as a major in 2007.

The Color Guard of Ream McElroy VFW Post 9381 of Ada will post the colors, and Adriane Thompson Bradshaw, ONU vice president of student affairs, will sing the national anthem.

ONU President Daniel DiBiasio and Ada Mayor David Retterer will conduct the laying of the wreath, and two members of the ONU Marching Band, C.J. Brincefield, a sophomore music education major from Lima, Ohio, and Jim Park, a junior marketing major from Sylvania, Ohio, will perform taps. 

This marks the fifth year that ONU has set aside time to reflect on and honor America’s men and women in uniform, and the observances are designed to raise awareness in the ONU community.