Governor Corbett, First Lady Commemorate 150th Anniversary of Gettysburg Address

GETTYSBURG, Pa., Nov. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Governor Tom Corbett and First Lady Susan Corbett were in Gettysburg today to commemorate the 150^th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address, originally presented by Abraham Lincoln on Nov. 19, 1863.

The Corbetts were joined by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia where they laid a wreath at Soldiers' National Ceremony and the governor spoke as part of the official Dedication Day observance. Dedication Day has honored the Gettysburg Address each year since 1938, with attendance this year for the 150^th anniversary estimated at close to 10,000 people.

"Abraham Lincoln sought to heal our country's wounds and captured the essence of our nation and its ideals," Corbett said. "His genius was so profound that it could be dispensed in 272 words, and yet shape centuries of thought and debate about what it means to be the United States of America," Corbett said.

The Dedication Day ceremony also featured a speech by Montgomery County resident, Lauren Pyfer. Pyfer, of Fort Washington, is a student at Upper Dublin High School and was the winner of a yearlong statewide speech contest commemorating the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. The governor and Mrs. Corbett served as the contest's honorary co-chairs.

"The Gettysburg Address was a proud moment in American history, and it happened right here in Pennsylvania," Corbett said. "My wife and I want to commend Lauren for her speech and encourage all Pennsylvanians to take the time to learn about and appreciate pivotal moments like these in our country's history."

In addition to winning the honor of delivering her speech during the official Dedication Day ceremonies, Pyfer will receive a cash scholarship prize of $5,000 and one-year tuition scholarship to any of the 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) schools.

The contest was sponsored by: Martel & Associates; PASSHE; the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Foundation; The Gettysburg Foundation; Cotter Brobson Communications; the Pennsylvania Business Counsel; Gmerek Government Relations; PPL; and Buchannan Ingersoll and Rooney, PC. It was also supported by the Lincoln Fellowship of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Today's events were part of a series of events commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg.

For more information on the 150^th anniversary, visit www.gettysburgcivilwar150.com.

For more information, visit www.pa.gov.

Media contact:  Christine Cronkright, 717-783-1116

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor