Once again, this year, the Bennington Rotary Club will present a Bell Ringing Ceremony at the Town Offices to commemorate Independence Day. This will the eighth anniversary of our Club ringing the ship's bell from the USS Bennington on the Fourth of July. We join with other communities across the Nation who will also be ringing bells at 2:00 PM EST.

In 1963 a concurrent resolution in Congress was passed which called on communities to establish bell ringing ceremonies on Independence Day at 2:00 PM. It was thought that the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence occurred at that hour back on July 4, 1776. Bells rang throughout the City of Philadelphia to announce the birth of our new Nation.

During the ceremony volunteer Rotarians pick one of the 13 original States that they would like to represent. As the name of the State is read the club member rings the ship's bell from the USS Bennington which is on display in front of the Town Offices. Since Vermont is the 14th State to be admitted to the Union, the Bennington Rotary Club holds that as a special ringer space. The "Fourteenth Bell-Ringer" is always reserved for some person or organization that has made a significant difference in helping our community to be a better place to live. This year we honor Patricia Johnson, RN, an emergency room nurse, who has performed extraordinarily during the COVID pandemic.

The Bell Ringing Ceremony will begin at 1:45 PM sharp on the Town Office front lawn, 205 South St. Sunday, July 4, 2021. Following the ceremony members of the public will have an opportunity to ring the historic USS Bennington ship's bell.