THOMASVILLE — Celebrate Independence Day with a variety of activities in Boston today.

The morning begins with a “Veteran’s Legacy Park” groundbreaking program at 9 a.m., held at 128 S. Main St. next to the police station.

The event is slated on a piece of private property a local family intends to build monuments on in tribute to the nation's veterans who fought in all of America’s wars.

“I think this will be a really good boost for our veterans,” Lori Cannon, property owner and event coordinator, said. “I first got the idea last year, tried to get ready for Memorial Day but was not. So then I wanted to have it together for the Fourth of July.”

Cannon said her family has served in the armed services and she could not think of a better way to honor them and other veterans.

“I want to have a monument from every war, American Revolution to Afghanistan,” she said.

The site is registered as a non-profit on the Georgia Secretary of State’s Web site.

Cannon plans to raise money for the monuments via donations and fundraising.

The groundbreaking program includes a welcome, musical selections, introduction and dedication speech.

“Veterans are the lifeblood of our country. They gave us all freedom,” Cannon said. “So much of that gets lost with all the politics and everything else that the veterans get pushed aside.”

The activities following the program are sponsored by the Boston Business Association.

These include a 10 a.m. parade, opening a fire hydrant so kids can play in the water, free watermelon in Watt Park, music and stores open in downtown, Ann McCrickard, BBA vice-chairman said.

“We’re focusing on younger people and encourage them to decorate their bikes, skateboards or whatever and come out to the parade,” she said. “We’re also going to have some horses, a donkey cart and fire truck.”

This is the first time in at least a couple of decades the town will have Fourth of July festivities, McCrickard said.

“We’ve wanted to do something for a couple of years but could never get it organized. This year, we thought we’d see how it works. We don’t want to compete with the fireworks; we just wanted something people could do for a few hours in the morning. Also, the groundbreaking is not a BBA event, but we do hope for an enthusiast crowd and think it is a wonderful idea that will be an asset to Boston.”