Veteran's Day

Every year our elementary school does a Veteran's Day program. All veterans and their families are invited to celebrate the day, listen to the children pay tribute to their service, and honor them in a special way. They do a wonderful job honoring these heroes.

Mary Kate had a few special parts. She handed out programs.

She held up the letter "N" in the word VETERAN and spoke about the Navy. ( Go NAVY )

There was a short White Table Ceremony. For those who aren't familiar with this ( like me ) here is a description of why they set a table the way they do.

The table is round — to show our everlasting concern for our missing men.

The tablecloth is white — symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call to duty.
The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of the missing, and the loved ones and friends of these Americans who keep the faith, awaiting answers.
The vase is tied with a ribbon, symbol of our continued determination to account for our missing.
A slice of lemon on the bread plate is to remind us of the bitter fate of those captured and missing in a foreign land.
A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears endured by those missing and their families who seek answers.
The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God.
The glass is inverted — to symbolize their inability to share this evening’s [morning''s/day''s] toast.
The chairs are empty — they are missing.
A Candle– Lit to remember that the light of America will always be the light in a world of darkness.

The 5th graders at our school were able to write about something they would like to add to the table. Mary Kate wrote that she'd like to add a calendar to show all the time the men are away from their families and to count the days until they return.

The local high school's fife and drum band played.

Here is picture of all the veterans that were there today. You could almost hear the unspoken bond they have with each other.

Afterward, the school had a nice reception in the library with cookies, bagels, fruit, cake, and juice. I have no pictures of this because I was too busy eating.

Here is my favorite veteran:

Have you ever seen a man or woman wearing a uniform, a hat, or something else that lets you know they have served or are currently serving? Have you ever wanted to say something but were too embarrassed to? Just do it. Thank a veteran. It's easy. It's important. And it's appreciated.