Holiday a day about sacrifice of veterans, their families; Teachers get Veterans Day Teachers Resource Guide
By Larry Dandridge
The purpose of this article is threefold:
- First, to remind citizens of Lowcountry, it’s our duty to remember and honor our veterans – on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2024. On Veterans Day, we should all take the opportunity to express our gratitude to our military members, veterans, and their families for their selfless and courageous service to our nation.
- Second, to provide a few of the Lowcountry Veterans Day Events on and around November 11, 2024.
- Third, to inspire principals and teachers at Lowcountry schools to actively educate students about Veterans Day. By obtaining a copy of the VA and Veterans Day National Committee “Veterans Day Teachers Resource Guide” at https://department.va.gov/veterans-day/veterans-day-teachers-resource-guide/ and using it to develop a Veterans Day event, you can instill a deep respect for the “Loyalty, Sacrifice, Selfless, and Brave Service” of our veterans and their families.
Celebrate veterans
Please join the The Island News and this writer in celebrating “Veterans Day” on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, at one of the many planned ceremonies in Beaufort County and surrounding Lowcountry and Georgia counties. A few of the planned Lowcountry Veterans Day events include:
- The Beaufort County’s Veterans Day Parade. The Parade begins at 10 a.m. at the Beaufort National Cemetery. Parade Route: Adventure Street to Boundary Street to Carteret Street to Bay Street – ending on Bladen Street and at the Beaufort National Cemetery, 1601 Boundary Street, Beaufort. For more information, visit www.beaufortcountysc.gov/veterans-affairs.
- The Colleton County Veterans Day Parade. Lineup begins at 2 p.m. at the Colleton Civic Center, 494 Hampton Street, Walterboro. The parade route is from Hampton Street, turn right onto Jefferies Boulevard, East on Washington Street, Memorial Avenue, and end at the Civic Center. Contact the County Veterans Affairs office at 843-908-2123. Entry forms are available at www.colletoncounty.org/veterns-affairs-office.
- Jasper County Events. A Lowcountry Boil is planned for Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Ridgeland. For a list of Veterans Day events in Jasper County, contact the Jasper County Veterans Affairs Office at 843-0726-7727, 843-368-5970 or ajenkins@jaspercountysc.gov.
- Charleston, SC Veterans Day Parade. The parade begins at 1 p.m. and ends at 3 p.m. on November 3, 2024. The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center sponsors the parade. The VA parade begins at Concord and Market Streets, turns left down East Bay Street, makes a right on Broad Street, and ends at Colonial Lake. Dwight Kress, at 843-789-6011, is the point of contact.
- Dorchester County Veterans Day Celebration. The 2024 Veterans Day will be celebrated with a brunch starting at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at the Kings Grant Community Center, Kings Grant subdivision, 222 Farrington Drive., Summerville, 843-875-6816. The ceremony will end at 11 a.m. No reservations are required.
- Hampton County events. For a list of Veterans Day events in Hampton County, contact the Hampton County Veterans Affairs Office at 803-914-2085 or 803-914-2087.
Contact your S.C. or GA county veterans’ affairs office to find out what Veterans Day events are happening in your county. S.C. County Veterans Affairs Office contact information is at https://scdva.sc.gov/county-veterans-affairs-offices.
Veterans Day Teachers Resource Guide
If you are a Lowcountry or Georgia elementary school or high school teacher or a member of a Veterans Service Organization or patriotic organization (i.e., USMC League, Lowcountry Leathernecks, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Association of the US Army, American Legion, Military Officers Association of America, Jewish War Veterans, American Veterans, Navy League, Disabled Americans of America (DAV), etc.), you should be preparing for Veterans Day 2024.
The best way to prepare for November 11, 2024, is to download the VA’s 28-page “Veterans Day Teachers Resource Guide” at https://department.va.gov/veterans-day/veterans-day-teachers-resource-guide/. This free informative guide includes Veterans Day Information on Veterans Day Speeches, the History of Veterans Day, Veterans Day Facts and Information, the Veterans Day National Committee, an America’s Wars fact sheet, Veterans Day by Branch of Service, and more.
18 million living veterans
About 18 million veterans live among us, in every state and territory, and from every walk of life. Many of the students in each teacher’s class may be the son, daughter, cousin, or other relative of a veteran or current service member. By discussing these crucial members of our society, students will better appreciate our freedoms because of the men and women who have served in defense of the United States.
Spread the word
Please share this article, the Veterans Day Teachers Resource Guide, and the Veterans Day Poster Gallery of 44 beautiful posters at https://www.flickr.com/photos/veteransaffairs/albums/72177720300172803/ with Veterans Service Organizations, school principals, school teachers, and educational organizations. As Veterans Day approaches, The Island News hopes this will help your students connect with veterans and service members currently on active duty.
The story of Veterans Day
Veterans Day is intended to thank and honor all who served honorably in the military, living and dead, whether in wartime or peace. Veterans Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their service, acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and underscore that all those who serve have sacrificed and done their duty.
While Veterans Day is often confused with Memorial Day, the two observances serve different purposes and have different histories. Memorial Day, which has its roots in the post-Civil War effort to “memorialize” all those who died in that war, has become a modern holiday to remember those from all wars and conflicts who gave their lives in service to the country.
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, 1918, fighting in WWI officially stopped after Germany signed an armistice agreement with the Allies earlier in the day. In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation changing the federal holiday’s name from Armistice Day to Veterans Day. Thus, Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11 each year.
The Veterans Day National Ceremony
The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held each year on November 11 at Arlington National Cemetery. It is nationally televised and commences precisely at 11 a.m., with a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The ceremony continues inside the Memorial Amphitheater with a parade of colors and remarks from dignitaries.
Larry Dandridge is a Vietnam War wounded warrior, disabled veteran, ex-Enlisted Infantryman, ex-Warrant Officer Pilot, and retired Lt. Colonel. He is a past Veterans Service Officer, a Patient Adviser at the RHJ VA Hospital, the Fisher House Charleston Good Will Ambassador, and the VP for Veteran Affairs for the local Army Association Chapter. Larry is the author of the award-winning book Blades of Thunder and a contributing free-lance writer with the Island News. Contact him at LDandridge@earthlink.net or 843-276-7164.
