Veterans Day Roundup

Lauren King, Stillwater NewsPress, Okla.
·5 min read

Nov. 7—The City of Morrison will host a Veterans Day Program Friday at 9 a.m. at the Morrison Event Center for students, residents and veterans.

Coffee and donuts will be available for veterans at 8:30 a.m. and the program will follow shortly after.

Col. Barry Vincent will begin the ceremony with a speech discussing the importance of Veterans Day. The president of the Christie-Jones American Legion Post 343, Janet Vincent, will preside as emcee of the event.

High school organizations will have prepared pieces to share with the audience, and elementary and Pre-K students will sing and have actions to "Poppy," a popular Veterans Day song for children. The program will end with fourth-graders singing the Military Medley.

The community, and all veterans, are encouraged to attend the assembly.

Perry Veterans Day Parade

The Ellis-Jirous American Legion Post 53 will host a Veterans Day Parade in Perry on Friday at 11:11 a.m. to honor and celebrate local veterans.

The veterans will travel around the downtown square in Perry, beginning at the American Legion Hall.

After the trip around the Square, a Veterans Day meal will follow the parade at 11:45 a.m. at Legion Hall.

All veterans are encouraged to attend, and the community is invited to support the local veterans.

Aging Advocates of Stillwater Veterans Day celebration

The Aging Advocates of Stillwater organization will host a Veterans Day celebration at the Boomer Lake pavilion No. 5 on Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The celebration will offer the typical ceremonial traditions of Veterans Day such as a prayer, the pledge, the national anthem and a ceremony to honor those who have fought, and those who are currently fighting, to defend the United States. However, the celebration will also include festivities such as food, music and a raffle.

Free food will be offered to the first 300 veterans in attendance and it is encouraged that guests bring their own chairs.

Aging Advocates of Stillwater cares for and provides information for the elderly. Its members work in multiple fields of elderly care, including hospice, nursing homes, assisted living homes, nonprofits, transportation services and more.

"Aging Advocates is a group of like-minded people looking to serve our aging and disabled communities," said Brooke Kimmel, an employee at Traditions Health, a company that provides home health, palliative care and hospice services. "We look for opportunities to say thank you, educate and share resources that are available."

Aging Advocates of Stillwater wishes to thank the brave men and women who fought to defend the U.S. and to thank those still fighting for freedom. It's all about gratitude, Kimmel said.

"Without their service, we would not have the freedoms we have today," she said. "We hope to have a great turnout, and that (we) get to do it annually."

The schedule of events is as follows:

* 11 a.m. — Introduction and thank you

* 11:10 a.m. — Prayer and pledge

* 11:15 a.m. — National Anthem

* 11:30 a.m. — Food, raffle and music by Val Gladden

* 1 p.m. — Bugle boy

* 1:10 p.m. — Ceremony close

Stillwater's World Harvest Church Veterans Day celebration

A Veterans Day celebration will be hosted at World Harvest Church on Friday at 5:30 p.m.

A reception will be held at 5:30 p.m. for guests to gather and talk, then a dinner will follow at 6 p.m. Special guest Maj. Alyssa Turner, DNP, FNP-C, WHNP-BC, USAF (Ret.), will be in attendance.

All veterans are encouraged to attend, along with community members.

Nursing home, assisted living and retirement community Veterans Day celebrations

Gary Boyington will travel across Stillwater Saturday to honor local veterans living in nursing homes, retirement communities or assisted living areas.

Boyington has visited nursing homes, assisted living or retirement communities to celebrate Veterans Day for the past five years. Typically, Boyington visits approximately five select locations of these categories.

Boyington's Veterans Day celebration itinerary is as follows:

* 9 a.m. — Primrose 823 Range Rd.

* 10:30 a.m. — Westhaven 1215 S. Western Rd.

* 1 p.m. — Stillwater Creek 1215 W. 10th Ave.

* 2:30 p.m. — Brookdale 1616 E. McElroy Rd.

* 4 p.m. — Renaissance 1400 E McElroy Rd.

Fairlawn Veterans Day event

The Stillwater Hanner-Sharp American Legion Post 129 will host a Veterans Day program at Fairlawn Cemetery on Saturday at 9 a.m.

Maj. Kevin Gerfen, USAF (Ret.), will speak at the event. The Legion will put up flags on the Avenue of Flags at 7:30 a.m., and the flags will be taken down at 4 p.m. All are welcome to partake in the placement of flags.

After festivities at Fairlawn, guests are invited to a fellowship and brunch. Both active and retired members, and their families, are encouraged to wear insignia of service.

Langston Veterans Day Observance

Langston University will host a Veterans Day Observance at 11 a.m. at Wm Conrad Veterans Memorial Gardens.

The Fred Gragg Veterans Appreciation Luncheon will be held at the LU Wesley Foundation Building immediately following the VeteransDay program. A new feature will be added to the Fred Gragg Luncheon this year, which will be BINGO.

The New Hope Missionary Baptist Church will host the 10th Annual Veterans Appreciation Worship Service at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

In case of inclement weather, the alternate program site will be the Langston University Wesley Foundation Center.