Patriotic music, historical reflection and community spirit filled Slatington Baptist Church on Saturday as about 200 people gathered for the Greater Northern Lehigh Chamber’s Heritage Day Celebration.

The program featured performances by the Heritage Day Band, directed by Brad Cressley, and the Heritage Freedom Chorus, directed by Anna Mary Milot.

The groups performed patriotic favorites including “God Bless America,” “The World of Our Dreams,” “The Stars and Stripes Forever” and “God Bless the USA.”

Andrew Gildner, serving as master of ceremonies, welcomed those in attendance and thanked community members for helping make the event possible.

“I am grateful that all of you could attend with it being July Fourth,” Gildner said. “I want to thank Chamber member Nancy Trescot for our small flags left over from the 250 Celebration that you see around the church.”

He also recognized Chamber members Cindy Miller, Kevin Schmidt, Jack Bechtel, Emily Sewilo and Jessica O’Donnell-Gower before Boy Scout Troop 58 presented the colors.

The keynote speaker was Col. Kevin Dellicker, commander of the 193rd Air Operations Group in State College. Dellicker leads a team responsible for planning, executing and evaluating joint air and space operations worldwide.

He enlisted in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard in 1995 and graduated from the U.S. Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia. He has deployed four times in support of the Global War on Terrorism, including tours in Southwest Asia and Afghanistan.

Outside of the military, Dellicker owns Dellicker Strategies, a cybersecurity and telecommunications infrastructure company. He also serves as interim pastor at Ebenezer Church in New Tripoli and chairman of the board of Bright Hope Centers in Allentown.

He and his wife, Susan, are the authors of “Twenty Percent Soldiers,” a tribute to citizen soldiers who have served the nation since the Revolutionary War.

Dellicker focused his remarks on the nation’s founding and the sacrifices made by ordinary Americans who fought for independence.

“We are here to honor our incredible nation, the United States of America,” Dellicker said. “And it is fitting that we do so here today at the edge of the Lehigh Valley, a place rich in history and essential to America’s founding.”

He said the citizen soldiers who answered the call 250 years ago “were the heart and soul of the fight against tyranny.”

“They were mostly farmers, some shopkeepers, lots of laborers,” Dellicker said. “They were not professional soldiers. They were ordinary people like you and me, but they were tough, they were committed. And believed in something bigger than themselves: freedom.”

“That’s why we’re here today, isn’t it?” he asked as the crowd responded with cheers. “To remember what our forefathers did for us and recommit our lives to this grand experiment we call the U.S.A. And to stand for something bigger than ourselves.”

Dellicker also highlighted the continuing role of the National Guard.

“The National Guard is a uniquely American institution that was essential to our founding and remains critical to our national defense today,” he said.

He concluded by encouraging those in attendance to invest in future generations.

“Have faith in the resilience, virtue and talents of this next generation of Americans, but you need to invest in them,” Dellicker said. “Instill in them the toughness of our forefathers. Show them your commitment to your country. And teach them to believe in something bigger than themselves. May God continue to bless America, and may you have a wonderful Independence Day.”

The celebration concluded with a standing ovation for the Heritage Day Band and Heritage Freedom Chorus.