United We Pledge Seeks to Celebrate Fourth of July With Purpose

For the second consecutive year, United We Pledge made a booming impact in Washington County by celebrating the Fourth of July with patriotic purpose. This year, United We Pledge hosted the “Tribute to America” show alongside the Kony Country 4th of July Celebration at the Zion Greater Stadium in St. George, Utah. More than 10,000 were in attendance.

United We Pledge had two overarching goals for the show. The first was to create a tender moment where the community could pause to feel gratitude and the significance of the patriotic holiday. The second was to raise awareness for United We Pledge’s Liberty Village campus that broke ground just two days earlier in Hurricane, Utah.

Dennis Leavitt, president of United We Pledge, kicked off the show sporting a V2V jersey to promote the “Village to Village” run that would end that evening as one of the show’s meaningful events. The V2V run was a national fundraising campaign riding on the back of ultra-endurance athlete Tom Jones. Jones was tasked with running 76 marathons in 76 days from the American Village in Montevallo, Alabama, to the future home of the Liberty Village site in Hurricane, Utah. The purpose of the run was to raise funds and awareness for United We Pledge’s Liberty Village project.

Tom Jones Finishes His 76 Day V2V Run Challenge

Gates welcomed Tom Jones into the stadium as he ran the final lap of his 76 days of marathons. Several United We Pledge volunteers followed Jones as he jogged through the stadium waving an American flag—inspiring the crowd to cheer him on as he completed his 76-day journey—and ended on stage as he greeted Gates. 

Jones shared an inspirational message with the crowd about America and the importance of keeping patriotism alive in the rising generations.

He also shared his deep love and commitment to preserving freedom and raising money to help build the Liberty Village campus in Hurricane, Utah. Shortly after, Jones was greeted by members of the local Sons of the American Revolution who presented him with an award for his example and a great achievement as a purpose-driven athlete. 

Headliner Artists William Joseph and Pia Toscano Captivate Attendees With a Patriotic Performance

For the finale, William Joseph and Pia Toscano, Tribute to Freedom event headliner artists, took the stage to perform a series of patriotic, uplifting songs. Joseph, an accomplished professional pianist, and Toscano, a former American Idol singer,  sang Joseph’s original heartfelt song “Oh America.”

“God Bless America” Engages Crowd as Giant American Flag Is Unfurled in Stadium

Following their inspirational numbers, Joseph and Toscano performed what many considered the highlight of the show: “God Bless America.”

The entire crowd stood together, hands over heart, and turned to face the East stadium as United We Pledge volunteers unfurled a massive American flag that spanned almost the entire stadium. 
It was an inspiring moment as Toscano turned to sing facing our nation’s most iconic symbol.

At that moment, the American flag—representing a nation united—was looked on in awe by a packed stadium. Patriotism, unity, and a deep concern for our nation were felt by all as the words “God Bless America” resonated in the hearts of those who took in the incredible display.

United We Pledge Team Celebrates A Momentous Event

As the United We Pledge team celebrated another successful Fourth of July event, they shared a special moment with the artists and each other as their little team of eight worked together to pull off an event to remember.

Hearts were full and tears of relief and happiness were shed as they realized the magnitude of what they pulled off and the impact they were making in their community and country. Shannon Bowler, Director of Events, who spearheaded the holiday show declared, “Our goal was to spread the word and raise awareness for the Liberty Village … to also create a moment where the attendees would feel proud to be an American and we accomplished that goal.”

United We Pledge looks forward to exploring the future with its Liberty Village campus project and how it will work towards its goal of instilling patriotism in all who visit it.

To learn more about the Liberty Village and how you can support this project visit our Liberty Village page here.