Schools, other groups prepare for Veterans Day events

Veterans Day is Sunday, but some schools began commemorating service members this week. Throughout the community, presentations, parades and salutes are scheduled for the coming days and weekend.

Each day South Elementary students enter the cafeteria this week, there will be an item added to a round table set up in the front of the room. Each item symbolizes an aspect of a veteran's service. A red rose added Tuesday is meant to remind students of the lives of the fallen. Salt added today symbolizes tears. The items mirror those described in the book "America's White Table," read over the intercom for a "schoolwide read" Monday.

At 8 a.m. Friday, an assembly will include the presenting of the colors by the Jackson American Legion. Students will complete cards to send to the Missouri Veterans Home in art class.

At Jackson High School, a ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. Friday in the auditorium. The choir will perform songs and an armed forces salute, and students will present carnations and poems to veterans present.

"As a teacher, it is important to instill in our children for us not to forget or take for granted what we have every day and why we have the things we have," said choir director Christy Shinn.

Shinn said that although the choir is involved in many activities throughout the year, students often choose the veterans ceremony as their favorite. "They realize how much we owe to these fine people we are going to honor," Shinn said.

Central High School in Cape Girardeau will show "Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience" on Friday. The video "evokes the universal emotions of war with haunting poignancy and raw emotions as original writings are used," librarian Julia Jorgensen said in an e-mail.

For the third year in a row, Central Junior High School in Cape Girardeau is asking students and teachers to donate $1.11 for the Military Family Relief Fun. The amount comes from Veterans Day being on the 11th day of the 11th month.

Before Veterans Day was expanded to encompass all veterans in 1954, Nov. 11 was celebrated as Armistice Day, the day in 1918 that fighting in World War I ended. The American Legion will have a ceremony at Freedom Park on the corner of Broadway and West End Boulevard at 11 a.m. to commemorate the cease-fire that went into effect at 11 a.m. that day.

At 1:30 p.m. Sunday, the Cape Girardeau Area Joint Veterans Council is sponsoring a ceremony in Arena Park. All area veterans are encouraged to attend.

Veterans can stand in formation with other veterans or simply watch the ceremony, which will include the Jerry Ford Brass Band, a cannon salute and more. The ceremony is expected to last about 30 minutes.

Veterans who wish to participate should show up by 1 p.m.

The veterans council said dress is flexible. "They can come without a uniform if they want since many of the uniforms have shrunk in the closet over the years," the release said.

Sam Welker of the veterans council said they decided to hold the Arena Park celebration in lieu of a parade, hoping to attract more people.

The American Legion Post 158 and VFW Post 10495 of Jackson are sponsoring the Jackson Veterans Day parade at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Jackson High School. Area school bands, youth groups, honor guards from Jackson and Cape Girardeau and the Marine Corp, among other groups, will participate.

Bill Poe will be this year's parade marshal. Poe served in the U.S. Army from January 1944 to December 1946. He was a radio operator with the 1st Cavalry, spending some of his service in Tokyo.

Immediately following the parade, the Legion and VFW will hold a ceremony at New McKendree United Methodist Church with retired U.S. Marine Maj. Richard Decker speaking.

Other events include:

• Kelly High School in Benton will hold a ceremony, featuring veteran Richard Trout as a speaker, at 9 a.m. Nov. 15 in the gym.
• The VFW and a color guard will perform at Trinity Lutheran School in Cape Girardeau at 8 a.m. Friday.
• Notre Dame Regional High School will have speeches, music and honors at an assembly at 2 p.m. Thursday.
• Lt. Gov, Peter Kinder will speak at the local premier of the documentary "Hometown Heroes" hosted by the Missouri Veterans Home at 10 a.m. Friday.
• Sunday lunch at the Missouri Veterans Home will be provided by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and Schnucks. Bingo will follow at 2 p.m. with more than $200 worth of prizes.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123