By Rhea-Frances Tetley

Veterans Day is this Saturday, November 11. This day is set aside to honor all those who have honorably served in the military protecting the United States of America. A ceremony will be held on Saturday at the new Veteran’s Monument, built recently as an Eagle Scout project, at Arrowhead Ridge on Grass Valley Road, in Lake Arrowhead, at 11 a.m. Many local groups, non-profits and volunteer organizations are pulling together to coordinate this special ceremony, to honor America’s best, under the direction of VFW Post 9624 and American Legion Post 360, with the support of the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust.

Veterans Day program coordinator, Maureen Mann, from VFW Auxiliary 9624, told The AlpenhornNews there will be speeches by veterans, including guest speaker USN Corpsman Clifford “Doc” Bennett, who currently works on the mountain and San Bernardino County with homeless vets. Bill Mellinger will be the Master of Ceremonies and various local Boy and Girl Scout troops will be involved in the flag ceremony. The Mountain Fifes and Drums Corps will provide the introductory music.

Quilts of Valor will be presented and the Blue Star Moms will share their new banners. The VFW will announce the winners of their Voices of Democracy essay contest and their Patriot Pen contest winners and present cash awards to these local students.

It is recommended that everyone arrive early, as on-site parking is limited and reserved for the disabled. There will, however, be adequate remote parking at the Alpine Conference Center across Grass Valley Road. Mountain Transit is providing free transportation to the ceremony site and Citizens on Patrol are offering traffic control. There will be easy-ups for protection from the sun and several hundred chairs will be provided, but bring your own collapsible chair if you wish.

The Crest Forest Senior Citizens Club, as well as local churches, will provide refreshments. “This is a unique event involving many individuals, businesses and organizations to honor veterans and their families and those who have sacrificed for our nation’s freedom. Everyone is invited to attend this free patriotic event,” Mann said. Taps will be played by Steve Ferrera to complete the morning activities.

At 2 p.m., following the Veterans Day ceremony, VFW Post 9624, 21841 Crest Forest Drive (at the corner of Waters Drive and Crest Forest Drive) in Cedarpines Park, will hold a formal flag retirement by fire ceremony. The public is invited to donate flags to retire for this ceremony and attend if they wish to dedicate the flag to the memory of a loved one.