Augusta, GA
VA Augusta hosts Memorial Day ceremony with American Legion Riders
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – VA Augusta and the American Legion Riders held a Memorial Day ceremony Sunday morning to honor service members who died in military service.
The Ride 2 Remember event took place at 11 a.m. at the VA Augusta Uptown campus at 1 Freedom Way. The ceremony included a motorcycle tribute ride and wreath-laying.
Thomas Pinckney, senior department vice commander for the American Legion Department of Georgia, said Memorial Day serves a specific purpose for veterans.
“Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for our fallen comrades, the ones that didn’t make it back home,” said Pinckney, who served 20 years in the military. “A lot of people say Memorial Day is a day to have barbecues and have parties or what have you. But for a veteran, that’s not what it’s about.”
Pinckney said the holiday is often confused with Veterans Day.
“People sometimes forget what Memorial Day is, and Memorial Day is for the dead, and Veterans Day is for the living,” he said. “We want to make sure that we honor the people that gave that ultimate sacrifice.”
Casey Zwirtz, acting associate director for VA Augusta, said the event brought together multiple groups to support veterans.
“It’s very important for us as the VA to be able to celebrate Memorial Day and celebrate those that had fought for us and died,” Zwirtz said. “We were here to pay our respects to them and to even to those that are still uniformed and those that have hung them up.”
The VA’s volunteer services collaborated with the American Legion Riders to organize the event. Zwirtz said the ceremony allows veterans to support each other and remember those who have died.
“I think that veterans are excited to be here and be able to support each other and be able to provide comfort and remember those that have fallen and be able to continue their legacy long term,” Zwirtz said.
VA Augusta inpatients, staff, community veterans and American Legion Riders attended the ceremony.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The 10th annual Juneteenth Augusta Festival brought families to the Augusta Fairgrounds on Friday despite the muggy heat.
Cultural and community-focused events, live music performances and food trucks were available at the celebration.
Tonia Hill, attending the Juneteenth celebration, said she loves the holiday and is supporting the community, though she acknowledged the weather conditions.
“I love Juneteenth. And I’m supporting everybody. It’s hot. It’s hot. It’s hot,” Hill said.
The festival runs until 10 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Dream Center is seeing more families turn to its food pantry this summer as children lose access to school lunches.
Organizations like the Augusta Dream Center see a surge in families who relied on school lunches during the academic year, according to Hallie Kohan, assistant director.
“We see a lot more families that have young kids who are in need that simply don’t have those meals they are normally getting,” Kohan said. “We see an influx of families that come through.”
Demand is up, but the food supply is not keeping pace.
“Right now we are having some food distribution issues so while we are seeing an increase in families, we are seeing a decrease in the amount of food coming through our doors,” Kohan said.
The center is asking the community to host food drives or donate kid-friendly items such as mac and cheese and oatmeal.
Every Sunday the Dream Center opens its doors for a hot meal, serving as many as 120 people.
“Families can come in and get their hot meal. They sit down, it’s dignified, it’s a diner,” Kohan said. “It’s a welcoming experience for kids to come in and not feel like they are in need.”
No paperwork is required to receive help.
“Just because you think someone is in a great situation, in today’s economy you never know,” Kohan said. “It could be your neighbor, mom, or best friend.”
The Augusta Dream Center food pantry is open Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon and Thursdays from 5 to 6 p.m. Hot meals are served Sundays from 5 to 6 p.m.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Construction continues on the James Brown Linear Park in downtown Augusta, with ceiling tiles now installed inside the park structures.
The tiles feature designs showcasing the Godfather of Soul from different years in his career.
According to the city, the completed park will include an interactive water feature that will “dance” to Brown’s greatest hits. A statue of the music icon will return to a new stage at the park.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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