GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (July 14, 2014) — Monday marks what would have been former president Gerald R. Ford’s 101st birthday, and there will be a combination of tradition and new additions to commemorate the day.
Everything begins with the traditional wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of President Gerald R. Ford at 10:00 a.m. The ceremony is conducted on behalf of the late Betty Ford by the Ford family, as an annual event on July 14, in conjunction with the long-standing White House tradition in which the President of the United States sends a wreath to the tomb of each deceased president on that president’s birthday.
Directly following the wreath-laying, will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum’s new featured exhibit, Taking the Seas: The Rise of the American Aircraft Carrier.
“This exhibit is exclusive to Grand Rapids and explores the development of this unique ship and the role it plays in projecting our nation’s influence abroad,” reads a recent press release. “From the first efforts at the close of the First World War, to the central role the carrier played in winning World War II (included is a walk on deck of the USS Monterey), to the newest super-carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, the exhibit offers key artifacts, documents, and video of the rise of the American carrier.”
There is also a special luncheon planned for noon at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, featuring a special lecture. Tickets are $35 with limited seating available by contacting rsvp@38foundation.org.
