Posted 3:38 am Saturday, November 06, 2010
Slate Of East Texas Veterans Day Events Planned
By MELISSA CROWE
Staff Writer
Veterans can expect a weeklong Veterans Day celebration to top the century.
Staff Writer
Veterans can expect a weeklong Veterans Day celebration to top the century.
While out-celebrating 100 years of holidays is no simple feat, Tammy Prater, executive director of the local American Red Cross, said the "biggest celebration for veterans was 91 years ago."
She said "that" was the driving force catapulting this year's holiday forward.
"We want to show our veterans how much we appreciate how much they sacrificed for us," she said. "There's just one opportunity after another to celebrate and honor our veterans."
The Veteran Appreciation Week begins today with the Red, White and Blue Festival in Bullard and includes a fish fry and award ceremonies, military ball, concert and a Freedom Walk.
"The message is to walk a mile -- or a half mile -- in their boots," said Choya Shanahan, of the local American Red Cross.
Throughout the week, veterans will be honored and admired at events like Sunday's Annual Veterans' Appreciation Fish Fry and Awards Ceremony sponsored by the American Legion and VFW at the Lone Star Event Center on East Erwin Street.
Karl Little, of the Smith County Veterans Office, started the annual fish fry and awards ceremony in 2007.
He said when he retired to Tyler, there were no celebration for veterans on Veterans Day.
"It's cool to see it grow into something more," he said. "I want this to be an opportunity to give a tribute."
On Wednesday, veterans are invited to attend the Texas Work Force Veterans Employment Fair. Not only will there be onsite job interviews with local companies, but also representatives from veteran services organizations and free health screenings by East Texas Medical Center.
Each school in the Tyler ISD will have Veterans Day celebrations Thursday.
Green Acres Baptist Church presents "Sounds of Freedom," a musical tribute to the hometown heroes and a special tribute to POWs and MIAs at 7 p.m. at the St. Louis Baptist Church on Texas Highway 155.
Active military personnel and veterans are invited to the Joint Service Military Ball on Friday at the Ornelas Center Ballroom to celebrate the 235th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps. For tickets and information, call 903-581-4087.
The Downtown Square will be the site of a Freedom Walk, a 5K run, biker poker rally and more on Saturday.
For more information on the weeklong celebration, visit help4soldiers.com
