What to know: Veterans Day events for Henderson, Polk, Transylvania counties
It will be a salute to the military next week with Veterans Day on Nov. 11 and the United States Marine Corps birthday on Nov. 10.
On the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, World War I came to an end with the signing of the armistice. Twenty years later in 1938, it was officially declared Veterans Day as a national holiday.
There will be several Veterans Day events happening in Henderson, Transylvania and Polk counties to salute our veterans, and those events are listed below:
Hendersonville
One of the main Veterans Day events in town will be the annual Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Veterans Day Service, which will begin at 11 a.m. Nov. 11.
For veterans, the day will start a couple of hours earlier at American Legion Post 77 on Washington Street, as antique cars, trucks, jeeps and military vehicles will meet there at 9 a.m. to escort veterans to Forest Lawn Memorial Park, according to a news release. Congressman Chuck Edwards will also be riding in the caravan.
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The Henderson County Sheriff's Office will provide an escort to Forest Lawn, leaving Post 77 at 9:30 a.m. The Transylvania Cruisers Car Club invites all owners of classic antique vehicles and military vehicles to participate in the event. For more information, call 828-388-0671 or 828-329-44971 or send an email to noirs@aol.com.
After veterans arrive at Forest Lawn, Mark Warwick of WTZQ Radio (1600 AM, 95.3 FM) will interview veterans live on the air until just before the service begins at 11 a.m. Following the service, free lunch will be provided.
This will be the first time the event has been held since 2021. It was canceled last year due to heavy rains and strong winds in the area from Hurricane Nicole.
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Another big event in Hendersonville will be at Veterans Healing Farm located at 38 Yale Road. It will be hosting the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall from 5 p.m. Nov. 9 to 2 p.m. Nov. 12.
During the four-day event, Veterans Healing Farm's executive director Alan Yeck said veterans from Brothers and Sisters Like These will be there doing readings. Also in attendance will be Quilts of Valor, which will award nine quilts to Vietnam veterans, and Bullets and Bandaids, which is an organization that does artwork for veterans.
Columbus
The Polk County Veterans Association (American Legion Post 250 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9116) will be hosting the Veterans Day Parade in downtown Columbus.
The 11th annual parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. at Park Street (Bubbles Car Wash) and proceed southwest on East Mills Street through downtown Columbus, turning left on Courthouse Street and left on Ward Street to the Veterans Park, where a Veterans Day Ceremony will be held after the parade.
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Anyone wishing to participate in the parade can contact the Parade Participation Chairman, D. Michael Collins at -864-230-9806 or by sending an email to mc3115@aol.com. More information is also available at polkcounty.org on the Polk County Veterans Pages.
Another event happening in Columbus for veterans will be at Columbus Baptist Church, located at 45 Houston Road.
After the parade and ceremony, the church is inviting all veterans and their spouses to the church for a free lunch. According to a news release, take out is also available to veterans who are home bound.
Transylvania County
In Transylvania County, there are two main events happening, with a Veterans Day Ceremony in Brevard on Nov. 11 and a U.S. Marine Corps birthday celebration in Pisgah Forest on Nov. 10.
The first event will be the celebration of the 248th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps, and it will be happening at 5 p.m. at Ecusta Brewing Company at 49 Pisgah Highway in Pisgah Forest.
This is free to attend. Food and beverages will be for sale. Ecusta Brewing is inviting all U.S. Marines, their families and friends to celebrate. Birthday cake will also be served. For more information, contact Larry Chapman at lchapman0302@gmail.com or call 828-883-2075.
A day after, the annual Transylvania County Veterans Day Ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 at the county courthouse gazebo on Main Street in Brevard.
Anyone planning to attend should arrive at least 15 minutes early. Main Street in front of the courthouse will be closed.
Closings
Henderson County local government offices and agencies, the transfer station and convenience center, the public library and its branches, and the Henderson County Courthouse will be closed Nov. 10 in observance of Veterans Day.
Henderson County Animal Services will be closed Nov. 10 and Nov. 11. All Henderson County parks are open 365 days a year. The delivery of emergency services will not be disrupted.
All Henderson County local government offices and agencies, including animal services, the transfer station and convenience center, the public library and its branches, and the Henderson County Courthouse will resume normal operating hours on Nov. 13.
Garbage, recycling, brush, or leaf collection for City of Hendersonville customers will not be taking place Nov. 10. Collection for Friday customers will be delayed by one week with collection resuming on Nov. 17. Any extra bagged garbage will be picked up Nov. 17.
For more information visit https://www.hendersonvillenc.gov/public-works/garbage-collection or contact Hendersonville Public Works at 828-697-3084. For water/sewer issues occurring on the City holiday, please use the afterhours number at (828) 891-7779.
Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Veterans Day: Events for Henderson, Polk, Transylvania counties
