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Veteran's Day events

UNDATED (WREX) - A number of events are planned throughout the area to honor Veteran's Day this week.

Rockford School District Events:

• Cherry Valley's choir will be joined by the Auburn High School ROTC for its patriotic celebration 9 to 10 a.m. in the school’s gymnasium. A representative from American Legion Post 340 will present students with a check toward their $20,000 goal, which represents the cost to train one dog to assist a disabled veteran perform tasks including picking up and retrieving items, opening and closing doors and even helping take shoes and socks off.
• Brookview Elementary fifth-graders will be performing a Reader’s Theatre at both 1:10 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. in the school’s learning center. Students will be enacting a story called “America’s White Table” by Margot Theis Raven. The story tells how soldiers are remembered in military families. Other classes have been working on a “thank you” sheet honoring veterans and to be displayed alongside the performers.
• Spring Creek Elementary students will honor veterans with a ceremony taking place from 8:05 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. in the school’s hallways. Auburn High School’s ROTC color guard will march through the school as students and staff line up in silence waiting for the color guard to pass. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, the Spring Creek Safety Patrol will give patriotic speeches.
• Conklin Elementary School students will be able to meet one war veteran and one active duty soldier at rotating times: 8:10 a.m. to 8:40 a.m., 8:50 a.m. to 9:20 a.m. and 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on the school’s playground. The soldiers will display their equipment and share stories about their military experiences.

- A local girl scout is being honored for organizing her school's Veteran's Day celebration. Girl Scout Ambassador Cassie Ayars, a junior at North Love Christian School, is getting the Gold Award for organizing the program Honoring Our Flag and Her Veterans. The event will be Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. at 5301 E. Riverside in Rockford. Cassie arranged for 11 veterans to come visit classes at North Love.  The veterans talked about how they served their country and answered questions about how best to respect and treat veterans.  These veterans will be honored - as representatives of all veterans - at the assembly with choir and speech performances.  Each veteran will receive a memorial hand-crafted fleece blanket along with baked goods in appreciation for their service.  There will also be a special presentation to one unsuspecting veteran during the celebration. 

 “I wanted to teach the kids in my school to honor our flag and veterans because they don’t get the respect they deserve.  After all, they risked their lives so we can have the freedom we enjoy today!,” said Ayars.

- Winnebago students will kick off Veteran's Day with a “Breakfast for Veterans” at Winnebago High School at 8:00 a.m. Then an assembly will feature over 50 veterans, including a special video message from high school teacher Lucas Kramer at 9:00 a.m. in the high school. Kramer is currently on a military leave from Winnebago serving in Iraq.

- Roscoe Middle School is hosting a Veteran's Day Program Wednesday morning.

- The big Veteran's Day observance in Rockford will be at Veteran's Memorial Hall Auditorium, 211 N. Main Street, at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday.

- Lt. Robert C.A Carlson Unit 1207 of the American Legion Auxiliary located at 3835 Broadway in Rockford will celebrate 90 years of service to veterans, their families and the community on Tuesday.

- A Veteran's Day Ceremony will be held at Veteran's Memorial Park in Dixon at 11:10 a.m. Wednesday.

- All Secretary of State offices and facilities will be closed Wednesday.

- The Veteran's Day holiday will not affect trash pickup in the city of Rockford.

- Cabela’s stores are hosting "Hometown Heroes", an event to honor the contributions of those who serve by offering employee pricing to all veterans, active duty military and reserves, law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel on November 11 and 12. To participate you must show your service ID to the “Hometown Heroes” check-in table at their local Cabela’s store.