Veterans Day Ceremony

by J. Pierce
(North Carolina)

This year we attended the Veteran’s Administration Hospital ceremonies. My children along with others from our 4H and homeschool group were on hand to help lead the pledge.

After the ceremony, the kids walked around the crowd passing out homemade cards to the veterans and expressing their thanks.

The wonderful reception the children got from the veterans was so moving. Veterans at the VA were so glad that they had not been forgotten by the younger generation. Neighbors called to thank the girls for their cards and thoughtfulness. Many people take our freedoms for granted. Please make sure you take just a moment to thank a veteran for being willing to make the ultimate sacrifice so we can live in a free country.

I am so thrilled that my children can participate in different community events that happen during school hours. I am especially grateful on Veteran’s Day. We talk a lot about the men and women who fought to make (and keep) our country safe and free, but seeing these men and women in person makes a much more lasting impression.

Veteran’s Day was originally called Armistice Day to commemorate the armistice - the temporary cessation of hosilities – between the Allies and Germany which effectively ended World War I. This happened at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of November 1918 – exactly 90 years ago today.

In 1954 President Eisenhower signed legislation to change the name from Armistice Day to Veteran’s Day to honor the many others had served our country in World War II and the Korean War.

We listed all our friends and family members who have served. The list was surprisingly long. We made phone calls to long distance relatives and thanked them and the girls made cards to put in the paper boxes of neighbors that we knew who were veterans.