AV Veterans Day events planned
Veterans Day observances are set for Friday across the Antelope Valley.
The holiday was originally known as Armistice Day, commemorating the day, on Nov. 11, 1918, that the armistice was signed to end World War I. It was renamed Veterans Day, in 1954.
Lancaster Cemetery
The Antelope Valley Cemetery District will start the observances with a program beginning at 9 a.m., at the Lancaster Cemetery, 111 East Lancaster Blvd.
The ceremony will be held in the Veterans Court of Honor section of the cemetery and will feature members of the Antelope Valley Blue Star Mothers laying wreaths at the flag poles representing the different military service branches. Chris Chandler of the Marine Corps League, Detachment 930, will place the Marine Corps wreath.
Guest speakers will include Congressman Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, a former US
Navy fighter pilot, and World War II veteran Lou Moore, who recently turned 100 years old. Moore, a third-generation Chinese-American, enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served in Europe.
Mojave
Mojave’s annual Veterans Day ceremony will take place at 11 a.m., in the Mojave Junior-Senior High School Mustang Gym, 15732 O St.
The keynote speaker will be US Army and Marine Corps veteran Robert “Stambo” Stambovsky.
Homemade cookies and hot coffee will be offered following the ceremony.
The event is sponsored by the Mojave Junior-Senior High School ASB.
Palmdale
As is tradition, the Mobile Vietnam Veterans Wall, aka the AV Wall display will be the site of Palmdale’s Veterans Day commemoration, held at 11 a.m. at the Palmdale Amphitheater, 2723 West Rancho Vista Blvd. (Ave. P).
“Veterans Day is set aside to honor and thank those living men and women who served in the armed forces,” AV Wall Committee Volunteer Coordinator Stacia Nemeth said. “It is important that we express our sincere appreciation to our veterans especially on Veterans Day.”
To that end, all non-veteran attendees are encouraged to gather at 10:30 a.m., to form a “Gratitude Tunnel of Love” at each entrance to greet and thank the veterans as they enter the ceremony area. Scouts, community queens and Junior ROTC cadets will present homemade thank you cards. The front rows of seating will be reserved for veterans.
The ceremony will include a joint high school JROTC Color Guard with patriotic music performed by the Air National Guard Band of the West Coast’s Guardian Brass. The National Anthem will be sung by the youthful trio of Joel Coder, Sadie Gibson and Cooper Ogden.
Guest speakers Bombshell Bonnie and Bella Donna of Bombshell Betty’s Calendar for Charity and Steve Willis, logistics coordinator of the AV Wall Committee, will share their stories of gratitude for veterans.
The ceremony will also include a special appearance by Army veteran and Senior Advisor and Outreach of the USA Vietnam war Commemoration Joe Ramos.
Vietnam veterans in attendance at the ceremony will be presented with 50th anniversary commemorative Vietnam Veteran lapel pins.