The Utah National Guard has canceled the Governor's Day celebration for the second year because of the new wave of COVID-19 fueled by the Delta variant.
The 66th annual event was originally scheduled for September 11 and would have included a special commemoration for the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
The event allows the governor to honor service members and their families.
“After careful consideration of the increasing threat from the COVID-19 Delta variant poses to Utahns, we decided to cancel the event,” said Maj. Gen. Michael J. Turley, the adjutant general, Utah National Guard. ”This decision was not made lightly, but was made after collaborating with senior government officials to determine the right course of action.”
According to a release, in place of the event, units qill focus on increasing readiness, including medical readiness.
“The Utah National Guard is committed to being part of the solution. The safety and health of our force and our communities is our top priority,” said Turley. “The Utah National Guard is hosting vaccination clinics during drill periods to increase our readiness and to preserve our force.”
The Utah National Guard will release a 9/11 commemoration video on social media to honor veterans, service members, families, and employers who have made sacrifices over the past 20 years.
