By Staff
Melissa Cason
The Cultura Garden Club will hold their annual "Every Light a Prayer for Peace" this Wednesday on the steps of the Franklin County Courthouse at 4:30 p.m.
The prayer service has been held for more than 20 years by the club, and will include the posting of the colors and pledge by local Scouts.
"There will be special entertainment by the RHS chorus and Jordan Burcham," Club Member Kathy Archer said.
Bro. Barry Holcomb, pastor of First Baptist Church, will hold the service.
"The ceremony hopes to convey the message of patriotism to country, with prayer and hope for peace being everyone's ultimate desire," Archer said.
The Cultura Garden Club in Russellville is not the only ceremony of its kind in Alabama.
The Garden Club of Alabama will be participating with Governor Riley and First Lady Patsy Riley in the 58th Annual State Tree Lighting Ceremony on the Capitol steps in Montgomery December 5th. This ceremony named "Every Light a Prayer for Peace" by Dorothy Parrish of Greenville, was first observed in 1950 in Selma. Dorothy was concerned about a war, the Korean Conflict, in which Americans were involved at that time. She decided to do something to express her concern for the soldiers, so she began a tree lighting ceremony.
Later, the ceremony was observed on Court Street in Montgomery and from there it was moved, with permission from Governor Brewer in 1968, to the Capitol steps where it has been held ever since. A tree lighting or a candle ceremony is also observed in other cities around Alabama sponsored by Garden Clubs.
In addition to hosting the ceremony, the members gathered at the Russellville City Hall and decorated for the upcoming Christmas holiday.
"We have been doing this for many years," Member Susie Malone. "This is one of our service projects that we do every year."