HELENA — The Constitution is more than just ink and parchment; rather, it's the framework for our everyday lives and freedoms in America, and Montanans have gathered to celebrate this important document in our nation’s history.
(WATCH: Montanans celebrate the 238th anniversary of the Constitution at the Capitol)
“It is something nobody else has, it is uniquely ours, and we can be enormously proud of it,” Janice Hand, the state regent for Daughters of the American Revolution said.
That pride filled the Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday with patriotic songs, speeches, and reciting the preamble.
“It is similar to celebrating anniversaries and birthdays and remembering our dead,” Hand says. “They never get lost as long as we remember them, and when we remember them, we have to look a little deeper and say, well, why is this important?”
Important because the Constitution protects essential freedoms and protections for all citizens.
“I don’t think most people realize that almost everything that happens in their daily life can go back to the Constitution,” said Hand.
The celebration for all ages was also marked by the ringing of a bell.
Sam Willis, a kindergartener, had the honor and says, “It was good and fun, and it was really loud, but I did not cover my ears because I was in charge of it.”
Some say, the Constitution should be celebrated every day.
“Take a couple of minutes, at least on the 17th of September every year, to reflect on what the United States of America Constitution means not only to the nation but also to yourself,” said Hand.
Governor Greg Gianforte proclaimed September 17 as Constitution Day and the week as Constitution Week.
