FROM THE

BY SARAH NIGBOR

Thank you, veterans

Veterans Day is special to our family because it’s a way we can honor those who served and continue to serve their country, including my husband, who served four years’ active duty in the United States Air Force. His missions took him all over the world, to places I’ll probably never go.

He doesn’t talk about his service often, but I know it warms his heart to know people appreciate his service. Our daughter made him a Veterans Day soldier poster in kindergarten, and it still hangs in his classroom. A student he had, who died in a car crash, made him a card for Veterans Day the year before she died, and he keeps it in a memory box. A local grocery store we shop at has a parking space reserved for veterans, and he’s said often what a great gesture it is. They have his business for life.

It’s important to show our appreciation to veterans. You never know how your words, your cards or those seemingly inconsequential gestures will affect someone. Our 4-H club made cards for veterans that will be delivered to the VA in the Cities. We hope the cards brighten their day.

Our local schools do a fantastic job honoring veterans with ceremonies. Whenever I attend one, I get chills as I see veterans stand proudly in their uniforms. As we all rise together to say the Pledge of Allegiance, as the band plays patriotic tunes and the gun salutes boom, we are all connected in our love for our country and for a moment, our differences don’t matter. We might not agree on many things, but we are all Americans and our veterans served and sacrificed to keep our country safe.

Another way we can honor veterans is to support local veterans’ organizations. Play bingo at the VFW. Eat a delicious fried chicken dinner at Prescott American Legion Post 61 or River Falls Post 121. Buy raffle tickets for the Ellsworth American Legion Post 204 remodeling fundraiser. In the spring, head to a fish fry at Plum City Post 365. Make cards to deliver to your local Legion. Or simply tell them thank you.

Because I love sharing facts, here is some Veterans Day history:

•Veterans Day occurs on Nov. 11 every year in the United States in honor of the “11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month' of 1918 that signaled the end of World War I, known as Armistice Day.

•In 1954, President_ Dwight D. Eisenhower_officially changed the name of the holiday from Armistice Day to_Veterans Day.

•In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which moved the celebration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. The law went into effect in 1971, but in 1975 President _Gerald Ford_returned Veterans Day to Nov. 11, due to the important historical significance of the date.

•Veterans Day commemorates veterans of all wars.

•Great Britain, France, Australia and Canada also commemorate the veterans of_World War I_and_World War II_on or near Nov. 11: Canada has Remembrance Day, while Britain has Remembrance Sunday (the second Sunday of November).

•In Europe, Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries it is common to observe two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. every Nov. 11.

•Every Veterans Day and Memorial Day, Arlington National Cemetery holds an annual memorial service. The cemetery is home to the graves of over 400,000 people, most of whom served in the military.

“To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory.” -_President_Woodrow Wilson, 1919, in_proclaiming Armistice Day, the anniversary of the end of_World War I.