PARKERSBURG - A number of events will be held locally in honor of Veterans Day, with some falling on Nov. 11, and others on Nov. 12.
A number of area schools will hold special programs related to Veterans Day.
Jefferson Elementary Center will honor veterans at 2 p.m. Nov. 9 in a special program and local dignitaries. Emerson Elementary School will hold its annual Red, White and Blue Walk on Nov. 9, with students collecting candy to send to soldiers through the Angels for Soldiers group. Vienna Elementary School will hold a veterans assembly at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 9.
At Parkersburg High School, students are selling veteran's flags for $5 with the help of DuPont Washington Works, the school's Partner In Education. Each flag will have the name of a veteran on it, with proceeds benefiting a veterans group to be named.
Williamstown High School will hold its annual Veteran's Day Assembly at 9 a.m. Nov. 9 in the school gymnasium. Local veterans will also be invited to a breakfast at the school at 7:30 a.m.
At Belpre City Schools, there will be Veterans Day events at each school.
Belpre High School will hold its celebration at 1:45 p.m. Nov. 9, while Belpre Elementary School will have activities Nov. 12 with an assembly at 1:30 p.m.
Veterans are encouraged to attend these events.
"I'm a firm believer in celebrating Veterans Day with veterans and kids gives a better sense of the sacrifice they make other than just a day off of school," said Belpre Superintendent Tony Dunn said.
In Marietta, American Legion Post 64 will be holding a Veterans Day Weekend celebration on Nov. 9-10 at the post at Eighth and Wooster streets, which will be open to the public.
There will be music by Justin Arthur with James Perrine from 7-10 p.m. Nov. 9. On Nov. 10, the event will feature music by Matt First and the Blue Collar Band at a dinner and dance party from 8:30-11:30 p.m. at the post, with a live auction at 9 p.m. Admission for the dinner is $12 per person in advance and $15 at the door.
For more information about the Post 64 activities, contact (740) 374-9484.
Several community events are also planned for Nov. 11 and 12 in the Mid-Ohio Valley to honor Veterans Day.
The annual Marietta's Veterans Day Parade will be 12:30 p.m. Nov. 11 in downtown Marietta.
The parade will form at noon at Fourth and Butler streets. It will travel Fourth Street to Putnam Street, then on to Front Street and the Veterans Memorial in Muskingum Park, where there will be a short program with Marietta Mayor Joe Matthews as guest speaker.
Meals will be available at the American Legion Post Home and at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post Home following the parade and ceremony. Community members are invited to participate in the parade, which is intended to honor veterans.
In Parkersburg, the Veterans Museum of the Mid-Ohio Valley will host a Veterans Day Cookout beginning at 12:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at Veterans Park on West Virginia 31.
The event is free to veterans and active duty military servicemembers. There will be food, activities, entertainment and static displays by local units.
On Nov. 12, the museum will hold its sixth annual Veterans Day open house from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at 1829 Seventh St. in Parkersburg. Soft drinks, tours and snacks will be available.
The Deerwalk Veterans Association is organizing the annual parade and program in Parkersburg, which will be held Nov. 12.
The Parkersburg Veterans Day program will begin with a parade from Parkersburg High School to City Park at 10 a.m. Nov. 12. Units will begin lining up at PHS at 9:30 a.m.
The parade will include area high school marching bands and representatives from various local veterans organizations. It will follow Washington Avenue to the Veterans Memorial Plaza in City Park.
The ceremony in City Park will feature speeches from local dignitaries and other visitors. Organizers said this year's guest speakers will be local attorney and veteran David Huffman and World War II veteran Clem Dowler. There will also be a wreath laying, a rifle salute and "Taps."
Open houses will be held at the various veterans organizations in Parkersburg following the ceremony.
Following the parade and service in Parkersburg, the Carlin's Battery D Civil War re-enactors will hold their annual Veterans Day open house from 12:30-2 p.m. Nov. 12 at their Fort Boreman Hill Historic Park cabin. The cannon will be fired, there will be Civil War history displays and other activities.
In addition to the parade and open house on Nov. 12, battery captain Jim Miracle said Carlin's Battery D will also be participating in a Nov. 10 program at Neal Cemetery in Vienna and will also take part in the Veterans Day cookout at Veterans Park on Nov. 11.
In Ripley, the third annual Ripley Veterans Day Parade will be held at 10 a.m. on Nov. 12. Leading the parade will be a flyover by a Vietnam-era helicopter as local Vietnam veterans are recognized as this year's parade marshals, organizers said.
Following the parade, a Veterans Day Ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. on the Jackson County Courthouse lawn in downtown Ripley.
In Marietta, Veterans Appreciation Day will be 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 14 at Campus Martius Museum, 601 Second St., Marietta.
Admission is free to veterans.
William Reynolds, Friends of the Museums historian, will give a narration on the new Civil War Exhibit "Touched By Conflict" beginning at 2 p.m. Complimentary refreshments will be available throughout the day.
Regular museum admission applies for non-veterans. For more information contact Campus Martius Museum at (740) -373-3750 or www.campusmartiusmuseum.org.
On Nov. 13, the city of Spencer will hold a Veterans Dinner at 6 p.m. at Heritage Park Community Building in Spencer.
