Grand Lake Area to Observe Veterans Day with Parades, Services
November 11 is a national holiday established by Congress to pay tribute to all American veterans — living or dead — who served their country honorably during war or peacetime.
All across the nation on Saturday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day observances will be held as the country comes together to celebrate and honor America’s veterans.
Several communities in the Grand Lake area have planned parades, services and other events to recognize and thank veterans for their patriotism, love of country, service and sacrifice.
The Veterans Day celebrations get started on Friday, Nov. 10, in Jay, where a full day of activities are planned.
The day kicks off with the annual Jay American Legion Post 195 Veterans Day Parade. Lineup for the parade is on First Street next to the NAPA Auto Parts store. Members of the Jay High School Student Council will assist with the lineup.
The parade begins at 10 a.m. and will proceed west on Highway 59, through downtown and past the courthouse square. The parade will include a veterans Honor Guard, floats, vehicles, dignitaries and veterans. The Jay High School marching band, a motorcycle group and various student groups and classes will also be participating in the parade. Members of the Jay Chamber of Commerce will announce the parade’s entries.
Immediately following the parade, a Veterans Day program will be held at Bulldog Arena. A chorus from Jay Public Schools will sing a number of patriotic songs during the program, which will also include the high school band and speakers, such as Jay American Legion Post 195 Commander Robert E. Lawson.
There will also be a special presentation explaining the meaning and symbolism of the prisoners of war/missing in action (POW/MIA) table during the 30-minute to one-hour program.
After the program, a free meal will be served to veterans and their spouses at the Jay High School Student Union.
At 2 p.m., the fourth grade at Jay Upper Elementary School will presents its annual program honoring and recognizing veterans. The program will include songs, skits and more.
Everyone is invited to come be a part of the Veterans Day celebrations in Jay. The only thing required, Lawson says, is to “be patriotic. Stand up with your hand over your heart when the flag goes by.”
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Veterans will be honored at Grove High School and Grove Middle School on Friday, Nov. 10, during the 2017 Veterans Day Assembly. The event begins with a breakfast for veterans and their families. Veterans are asked to gather in the high school library at 8:45 a.m for presentation of certificates and breakfast.
The assembly will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the new performing arts center. Gary Lane will be the guest speaker. Lane is a retired United States Air Force colonel.
The middle school assembly will start at approximately 1:30 p.m. at the middle school auditorium.
A shuttle will be provided from the Cinema Six Theatre parking lot beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Veterans are asked to contact the high school office by 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, with the number of how many they will have in their group attending the Veterans Day assembly and breakfast.
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Adair will kick off the holiday season and spend a day honoring its veterans with A Salute to Veterans at its annual Christmas in the Country event Saturday, Nov. 11.
Festivities begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m. in downtown Adair. A veterans parade will be held at 2 p.m.
Sponsored by the Adair Chamber of Commerce, the family-friendly event’s activities will include a car, truck and bike show, live entertainment, kids’ games, vendor/craft fair, food and much more.
For more information, contact Cindy Hefner at (918) 323-1291.
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The Afton Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Veterans Day Breakfast Saturday, Nov. 11, at the Afton Senior Center Community Room at City Hall. Breakfast will be served from 8 to 11:30 a.m.
Veterans eat free. The cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under.
The Afton Senior Center Community Room is located at 201 Southwest First St.
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The public is invited to attend a free community breakfast on Veterans Day Saturday, Nov. 11. Hosted by the Vinita Cub Scouts Pack 66, the breakfast will be served from 7 to 10 a.m., at the First Baptist Church in Vinita, 321 W. Illinois Ave., across from Will Rogers Elementary School.
Cooked and served by the scouts as part of their monthly community service project, the breakfast will include eggs, sausage and pancakes with all the fixings, along with coffee, milk and orange juice.
The Pack 66 Cub Scouts have been collecting items for 30 care packages for local deployed soldiers in Afghanistan. At the breakfast, the scouts will be accepting monetary donations to help pay the shipping costs to send the care packages.
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The Pryor Area Chamber of Commerce invites everyone to come and celebrate with them at the community’s Veterans Day Parade. The parade begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, and takes place on Main Street in Pryor.
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In honor of our veterans, the Spavinaw Youth & Neighborhood Center (SYNC) is sponsoring a Veterans Appreciation Day and Hog Fry Dinner Saturday, Nov. 11.
A delicious hog fry dinner with all the fixings will be served from noon to 8 p.m.. The hog fry dinner is free for veterans. The cost is $6 for everyone else.
Everyone is encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and hang out while being entertained as Bryce Dicus and The Mercenaries perform from 5 to 8 p.m.
The Spavinaw Youth & Neighborhood Center invites everyone to come and honor a veteran, than them for their service and help remember Veterans Day for all who have served or are serving.
“We want to thank our vets and give back to them,” said Rhonda Henson, a SYNC representative.
All proceeds from the dinner go to the Spavinaw Youth & Neighborhood Center’s veterans section.
SYNC is located at 106 N. Main Street, in Spavinaw. For more information, call Jenson at (918) 937-2882 or visit the Spavinaw SYNC page on Facebook or www.360GrandLake.com.
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As a way of saying “thank you” to veterans, River Bend Casino is hosting a Salute to Veterans on Saturday, Nov. 11. Veterans and military personnel are invited 7to visit Club Wyandotte, to claim $15 free play and a $5 dining credit at the Casino Deli. The special salute to veterans offering starts at 9 a.m.
River Bend Casino is located at 100 Jackpot Place in Wyandotte. For more information, visit www.riverbendcasino.com.
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Members of the Grove Veterans Ritual Team and the American Legion Women’s Qualate-Pritchard Unit #178 Auxiliary will hold a short Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, at the honor walk on the Grove Community Center lawn.
During the event, members of the auxiliary will place a memorial wreath on the Veterans Memorial. There will also be a guest speaker.
For more information on the ceremony, contact Roger Cook at (918) 257-5898.
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To honor all those who have served and are still serving to protect our freedom, the Miami Regional Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 11.
The Chamber of Commerce says “everyone is encouraged to participate in the parade or come watch to show your support for our heroes.”
Set up for the parade is at 4 p.m. Participants will gather at Fifth and Main streets in front of Vance Ford.
The parade starts at 5 p.m. and will head south on Main Street, dispersing at Second Avenue and South Main Street.
For more information on the family-friendly parade, contact Addison Stelle at (918) 542-4481 or visit www.miamiokchamber.com.
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The South Grand Lake Lions Club of Langley will hold its annual Veterans Day Remembrance Program at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 11, at the Langley Veterans Honor Plaza at 220 West Cherokee Avenue across from the Langley First Christian Church, in Langley.
The program begins at 10 a.m. and will include music, recognition of veterans, several ceremonies and the Reading of the Names. Everyone in South Grand Lake and the surrounding area is invited to be a part of this event.
For more information, contact Virginia Gibson at Valley National Bank at (918) 782-3265 or visit www.southgrandlakelionsclub.com or the South Grand Lake Lions Club of Langley Facebook page.