The Strasburg Lions Club will hold the 32nd annual veterans' concert on Sunday, Aug. 4. The free show will begin at 7 p.m. on the lawn of the Strasburg Borough Office, 145 Precision Ave., Strasburg. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets for outdoor seating. In the event of rain, the show will be moved to the Strasburg Fire Station, 203 Franklin St., Strasburg.

The concert will entail a performance from the Lampeter-Strasburg Community Band, which traditionally features a selection of patriotic songs to honor Americans who have served in the armed forces. The Lampeter-Strasburg Community Band will also play various popular tunes during the concert.

The primary goal of the event is to recognize and show the community's appreciation for its members who are currently serving in the military or who have served in the past. The Lampeter-Strasburg Community Band will perform a song representing each branch of the United States' military, as well as "The Star-Spangled Banner." Every year, veterans in the audience are asked to stand when their respective branch's song is played to be recognized for their service.

"There are a lot of summer concerts in the area that tend to feature more modern music and genres like folk and rock 'n' roll," said Bruce Ryder, a member of the Strasburg Lions Club and Strasburg Borough's mayor. "This is a little more traditional, and we always get a pretty good turnout of veterans who might want to hear something that's different from many other shows."

The Strasburg Lions Club sponsors and organizes the annual veterans' concert, which was created by the late Donnie Bachman. Bachman partnered with members of a local VFW post to coordinate the show every year. After Bachman's death and the dissolution of the VFW post approximately 10 years ago, the Lions Club assumed responsibility of running the event to continue the tradition.

The veterans' concert is one of many projects the Strasburg Lions Club is involved with in the local community. The organization sustains its service projects via frequent fundraising events and through partnerships with local organizations. The Lions Club often works with organizations such as the Strasburg Rail Road and the Strasburg-Heisler Library, which make donations to the club. In exchange, the Lions Club provides volunteers to help with staffing the organizations' events. Members of the Lions Club also frequently oversee various service projects that the organization funds with the proceeds from its events and partnerships.

For more information, call Ryder at 717-687-8984 or email ryderbl@aol.com.