Amen.

Amen.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which he stands.

Our nation under God and indivisible of liberty and justice.

Pastor, thank you so much for that prayer.

If you want to just take a minute, tell us a little bit about yourself and your ministry, please.

Well, thank you for having me.

I'm Stepheria Nicholson, the pastor of North Carolina's campus of Temple Salvation Deliverance Church under my apostle D.F.

Allen, co-pastor, First Lady Gwendolyn Allen.

We're an international ministry which focuses on the family, focuses on doing community work, and most importantly, encouraging people to stay faithful.

It's easy to get lost in the shuffle of life.

Some of the activities we have going on as we are blessed, four years in ministry and serving, we'll have a youth day on July 10th.

And so I hope that youth will come out, eat some popsicles and hot dogs with us, and just enjoy our ministry generally and occasionally we offer clothing, food, and just that warm assistance that people need in days like this.

Well, thank you so much.

Where's your youth day program?

Where will it be held?

It will be held on July 10th at 7 p.m.

at 135 North Main Street in Spring Lake.

All right.

Well, thank you.

Thank you so much.

Let's give a pastor a round of applause.

Thank you for that prayer.

Councilor, at this time, um we would like to read a proclamation uh in recognition of Pride Month.

Do we have anyone here?

Uh Ms.

Jennifer, who was uh who was uh presenting this to?

Uh no one, sir.

This is just for a reading.

All right.

Uh proclamation reads as follows.

Whereas every June, communities across the United States recognize Pride Month to honor history, struggles, achievements, and contributions to the LGBTQ community uh plus community.

Whereas Pride Month commemorates the anniversary of Stonewall Uprising of 1969 in New York City, a pivotal moment in the fight for LGBTQ plus rights that sparked a movement for equality and justice.

Whereas the members of LB LGBT BTQ Plus community have long enriched our society in countless ways as educators, artists, public servants, business leaders, caregivers, and neighbors, and continue to demonstrate strength, resilience, and courage in the face of adversity.

Whereas Pride Month provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress made toward equality, recognizes the challenges that remain, and reaffirm our commitment to dignity, respect, and inclusion for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Whereas the City of Fairville is dedicated to foster an inclusive, safe, and welcoming community where diversity is celebrated and all residents are empowered to live authentically and openly.

Whereas during Pride Month, we support the rights of LGBTQ individuals to live free from discrimination and prejudice, and we recognize and uplift the voices and experiences of those who continue to advocate for justice and equity.

Now, therefore, I Mitch Coven, mayor of the City of Fairville, North Carolina, on behalf of the city council, more than 208,000 citizens to hereby proclaim the month of June in the year of 2026 to be in honor of Pride Month.

Witnesses, 15th day of June 2026.

So we will present that and let's give them a round of applause as well.

And now at this time, we have a special friend of ours that is here.

He has uh been a very supportive of the last couple years, and like to ask that Colonel Chad Mixon would meet me at the podium, please.

Well, council, we uh as you know, we have uh over the years we work very closely with Fort Bragg and the garrison uh commanders, and we develop a relationship oftentimes uh with them uh through difficult times, making sure that we uh work together to take care of our soldiers and their families who are residents in the city of Fayetteville.

Uh the number used to be Colonel, around 70 percent of the men and women of Fort Bragg who are active military live somewhere in the city of Fayetteville, so we share um the responsibility to take care of those citizens.

But over the last few years, you have been uh not only a great servant and partner for the city of Fayetteville, but also a friend to many of us uh with your bubbly personality, always have a smile on your face, and you've always been willing to help.

So at this time, um, you know, we uh are saddened to see you go, but we understand that uh life is about the next chapters, and we wish you and your family well.

We know that you've put in uh a number of years of service, which you'll share with us in a moment.

But on behalf of the mayor and myself and city council, our key to the city is our highest honor that we can present.

We'd like to present to you, Colonel Kay Chad Mixon in grateful recognition of your dedicated interest and untiring commitment to Fort Bragg and to the citizens of Fayetteville while serving as the garrison commander from 2024 to 2026.

We say thank you.

All right, Chair, and please run off.

All right, Mayor Coleman thanks that was huge.

I mean, my dad was a city councilman for 16 years down in Florida, and I heard a key to the city, but never really knew what it meant until now.

So uh I really appreciate it.

But um, absolutely been in in the Army 31 years, um, as the mayor said, retirement is here.

Um changing command and retiring on the same day in July 24th.

Um bittersweet moment, but uh you know, 31 years, a lot of a lot of that has been here at Fort Bragg, and I'll tell you in the early you know 2000s when the war kicked off.

I was one of these guys from Fort Bragg, head down and and rowing and deploying and and uh not looking back.

But I think the majority of deployments um came out of came out of Fort Bragg.

Every time I got here, I got deployed again.