Events to honor vets over holiday
The Veterans Day Celebration Committee will host several activities in observance of Veterans Day, beginning Friday with a free dinner and dance for veterans and guests at the Elks Lodge, 132 Abbott Place.
Dinner will be from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and the dance will be held from 7-10 p.m.
From noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, a USO-type show will be held near the J.C. Penney store inside the Hot Springs Mall, 4501 Central Ave. The show will be emceed by Dick Antoine.
At 7 a.m. Nov. 11, a Flag Run will go from the Dodge Store on East Grand to Little Rock, returning to the Transportation Depot by 11 a. m. Motorcycle enthusiasts, car riders, veterans and nonveterans are welcome to participate.
At 11 a.m. Nov. 11, a Veterans Day ceremony will be held at the Garland County Veterans Memorial in the Transportation Plaza at Orange Street. The day concludes with a downtown parade beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the junction of Whittington, Park and Central avenues, proceeding south on Central Avenue and ending at Olive Street.
During the Veterans Day celebration, a unique Winchester Commemorative Rifle will be given away in a drawing, according to Steve Smith, project director for the Winchester Rifle Program.
Smith said Morris Cash, chairman of the Garland County Veteran’s Memorial Committee, announced two weeks after the 2013 Veterans Day ceremony that the committee had voted to accept the donation of a specially made Winchester Commemorative Rifle to be used as a possible raffle program to raise funds for the expansion program of the memorial and future expenses.
“The rifle was purchased by the donor in early 2003 following the announcement that Garland County had been chosen to be part of a County Historic Series in the United States, with the release of an intricately engraved Winchester Limited Edition Rifle Model 1894 carbine to commemorate the unique qualities of Garland County,” Smith said in a news release.
The “Presentation Premier” grade rifle is finished in nickel silver and overlaid in 24-karat gold. The American walnut stock is laser-carved with historic scenes.
“In order to give maximum value to this beautiful commemorative piece, the edition was limited to a total of 10 rifles, plus the unnumbered model. The guns were individually numbered to ensure the unique value of the firearm, and all the rifles were sold immediately upon release to residents in Garland County,” Smith said.
The Garland County Veterans Memorial Committee is soliciting funds for the Memo- rial Expansion Fund Drive and will accept donations of $10 for each raffle ticket entered into a special drawing to win the No. 2 Garland County Winchester Commemorative Rifle.
The drawing will be held at the Veterans Memorial site and the winner does not have to be present to win, Smith said. All of the proceeds from the ticket sales will go to the Veterans Committee Building and Expansion Fund.
“More than half of the two thousand tickets printed have already been sold and the remaining tickets are available from all committee members and local veterans organizations,” he said.
Tickets are also available from Pro Copy, 1819 Albert Pike, Hot Springs Tire and Auto Service, 3123 Albert Pike, Military Surplus and Outdoor Supplies, 410 Airport Road, Golden’s Paint and Body Shop, 109 Airway, and Grand Lagniappe Shoppe, 811 W. Grand Ave.