Nodaway County groups, schools to honor veterans

The annual Nodaway County Veterans Day observance will be at 11 am, Friday, November 11 at the American Legion Post 100 Hall, 1104 East Fifth Street, Maryville.

The event is coordinated by the James Edward Gray American Legion Post 100, Maryville. The welcome and introduction of dignitaries will be conducted by Allen Chesnut, commander. The Posting of the Colors will be under the direction of Honor Guard Commander Amos Clampit.

Georgia Sheridan and Esther Coffelt, Legion auxiliary members, will place the memorial wreath. The National Anthem will be sung by Marlin Kinman, accompanied by Anita Dew, and the invocation will be given by Leland LaRose.

Guest speaker Dr. Bob Bohlken will speak followed by Joyce Stark who will give POW/MIA recognition. A musical salute to the branches of service will be sung by Kinman.

Post 100 members will recite the names of Nodaway County veterans who have died since November 11, 2015. LaRose will provide the benediction. After the retirement of the Colors, there will be a 21-gun salute.

A ham and bean lunch with a treasure chest raffle will follow the program.

In Burlington Jct., veterans and their spouses eat free at the Burlington Jct. American Legion Beef and Noodle supper from 5 to 7 pm, Friday, November 11. At 5 pm, Justin Plymell, Burlington Jct. mayor and post commander, will make a presentation of the BJ Purple Heart City designation and recognize purple heart recipients. The event is open to the public.

A service to honor veterans will begin at 10 am, Sunday, November 13 at the American Legion Building, Burlington Jct. Pastor David Jerome, retired Army member, will perform the service followed by a breakfast of biscuits and gravy, fruit, juice and coffee. The service is sponsored by the United Methodist Churches of BJ and Wilcox and is open to all.

Area schools are celebrating Veterans Day with assemblies and special meals. These events are:

• Nodaway-Holt will host two presentations. At 8:15 am, Friday, November 11 there will be a program at the elementary school in Maitland. The high school in Graham will have a presentation at 9 am.

The prelude, Posting of the Colors and Pledge of Allegiance will be presented by Boy Scouts. Tenique Hays and Stacey Calfee will give a fun with flags presentation. A speaker from the National Guard is tentatively scheduled to attend. After the National Honor Society presents the white table, the Boy Scouts will retire the Colors and “Taps” will be played by the NH band.

Area veterans are invited to both locations to be recognized. They are asked to vote on class doors made for Veterans Day.

• Northeast Nodaway invites area veterans and their families to an assembly in the new gym at 10 am, Friday, November 11. Parnell American Legion Post members will be present. The school band and choir will perform.

• North Nodaway will have a veterans program at 9 am, Thursday, November 10 in the high school’s old gym, Hopkins. The program will include a history of the American Legion and a slide show of veterans.

• Maryville High School will have a Veterans Day program at 2:15 pm, Friday, November 11 in the Lee and Nina Schneider Center for the Performing Arts at the high school. The program will feature music and speakers paying homage to all veterans.

• Eugene Field Elementary will host a veterans assembly at 8 am, Friday, November 11 in the gym. Students are asked to wear red, white and blue. Attendees are asked to RSVP by Monday, November 7 at goo.gl/sTTPwQ or call 660.562.3233.

• West Nodaway will host a Veterans Day program starting at 8:30 am, Friday, November 11 in the high school gym. The junior auxiliary will pass out poppies and post the flags. The Pledge of Allegiance will be recited by the entire school and the National Anthem will be performed by choir members. Tyler Bears will give the welcome and closing remarks.

Guest speaker Chuck Fox will give a presentation following a brief history of Veterans Day. Poster and essay winners will be announced and essays will be read. Schyler Johnson will perform “Taps” and the entire school will sing “God Bless America.”

• Jefferson’s Veterans Day observance will include a meal for veterans and their guests hosted by the National Honor Society beginning at 11:45 am, Thursday, November 17. A program will follow at 12:45 pm. The NHS president will welcome guests followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The school band and choir will perform and Carla Peery will speak about art projects on display. An NHS slideshow will provide information about what Post 464 does for the community and country. Veterans and guests are invited to visit classrooms after the program.

• South Nodaway will hold its Veterans Day observance starting with breakfast at 7 am, Friday, November 11. Following is an assembly and remembrance at 8 am in the gym. All veterans are welcome.