Marine veteran gives invocation at SC7 closing on USS Yorktown

Retired Marine Col. Steve Vitali delivered the invocation at SC7 Expedition’s closing ceremony on the USS Yorktown in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, on July 29. The event capped the annual trek across South Carolina and highlighted the expedition’s conservation focus and the state’s seven geographic wonders.

Why it matters: - The closing ceremony tied SC7’s conservation mission to a public moment of gratitude and reflection at Patriots Point. - Vitali’s invocation underscored the expedition’s message about protecting South Carolina’s natural places for future generations. - The appearance also highlighted Vitali’s standing as a new S.C. Military Veterans Hall of Fame inductee and a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan.

What happened: - Col. Steve Vitali, USMC (Ret.), delivered the invocation on Wednesday, July 29, aboard the decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Yorktown in Mount Pleasant. - The prayer came during SC7 Expedition’s closing ceremonies. - Dignitaries, expedition leaders, and participants attended the event at Patriots Point. - Vitali also hiked part of SC7’s nearly 300-mile route through South Carolina.

The details: - SC7 is the seventh annual expedition that runs from the mountains in the Upstate through the Midlands and into the Lowcountry. - The expedition spans about 30 days each year. - Vitali thanked God for the fellowship and experiences of the past four weeks. - Vitali said the expedition reinforced a love for the natural world and for what Dr. Tom Mullikin has called “The Lord’s Garden.” - Vitali prayed for continued efforts to “conserve, protect, and defend” South Carolina’s natural places for children, grandchildren, and future generations. - Vitali thanked the SC7 team and the people who joined along the trail. - Vitali said travel across the globe and to remote destinations had reinforced the idea that there is “no place like home.” - Vitali asked for blessings on South Carolina and the nation, which he noted is celebrating its 250th birthday this year. - Vitali closed by asking that people remain “ALWAYS FAITHFUL” to their responsibilities.

Between the lines: - The invocation frames SC7 as more than an outdoor trek. It presents the expedition as a civic and spiritual reminder about stewardship. - Holding the ceremony aboard the USS Yorktown added a military and historic backdrop to an environmental event. - The prayer’s emphasis on home, duty, and conservation fits the expedition’s effort to connect landscape protection with state identity.

What's next: - SC7’s organizing partners will continue using the expedition to raise awareness of South Carolina’s natural areas. - The expedition will keep centering the state’s seven geographic wonders, including Sassafras Mountain, the Jocassee Gorges, the Chattooga River, Congaree National Park, the Edisto River, the ACE Basin, and Bulls Island. - More information is available in the SC7 Expedition website.

The bottom line: - SC7 ended its annual trek with a patriotic, faith-centered message: protect South Carolina’s landscape now so future generations can inherit it.