U.S. Navy photo by Doug Davant Capt. Catie Hanft addresses crowd at Indian Head's Village Green park area.

‘‘Thomas Stone and William Smallwood reflect the essence of what American patriotism is all about,” the commanding officer of Naval Support Activity South Potomac said. ‘‘They both risked everything for the cause of freedom.”

Hanft told how Stone, a signer of the Declaration of Independence whose plantation is now a state park about 10 miles from Naval Support Facility Indian Head, first opposed war with Britain.

‘‘But, when the Battles of Lexington and Concord occurred, he became a powerful voice in the Continental Congress for a Declaration of Independence,” she said ‘‘He later helped draft the Articles of Confederation that later were to transition in restructured form into the Constitution of our country.

‘‘William Smallwood was an American hero,” she pointed out. ‘‘He obtained the rank of major general during the Revolutionary War and was cited as the person who really kept the Continental Army in tact during a time of its worst engagements: the Battle of Camden.”

Hanft also said that Smallwood helped originate Maryland’s ‘‘Old Line State” nickname during the Battle of Long Island when his regiment was instrumental in holding the line and saving the army so that Gen. George Washington’s fledgling Continentals could retreat into Valley Forge to fight again and eventually become victorious.

‘‘The nation’s first great leaders such as Stone and Smallwood put their lives on the line and every thing they owned to establish freedom,” she reminded the Indian Head crowd.

‘‘The concepts of social equality and individual rights were in place, and, once this happened, it didn't take long for the rest of the world to take notice. Soon stories of the ‘American Dream’ were spread across foreign lands. Today we can see that same democratic bell of freedom beginning to ring in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan as the American dream has been envied worldwide ever since this fateful day in 1776,” Hanft said.

‘‘It's important to learn the history of our country, and especially about citizens such as Stone and Smallwood who made it happen. We must not forget the hardships those who came before us experienced in order to gain the freedoms we sometimes take for granted,” she said.

‘‘Like Stone and Smallwood, Maryland and Charles County is replete with patriots and patriotism. Many of them are here right before you today because many in this audience have served in harm’s way when their county and country needed them. And many here are serving today,” she said. ‘‘I urge you to seek them out and thank them for their service!”

The kickoff event was followed by amusement rides, food, game and novelty booths, bingo and a fireworks display that evening. Live entertainment was also in the offering at Indian Head as the ‘‘Broken Stigma Band,” ‘‘Late Epiphany” and ‘‘The Wise Guys,” provided musical arrangements.

Hanft was joined in the festivities at the kickoff by Mayor Ed Rice of Indian Head, who introduced Hanft to the audience by calling her a ‘‘special friend” of the town.