Veterans Day | Services, observances

A list of services and ceremonies for Veterans Day as submitted to The Vindicator. Unless otherwise noted, all services are Friday:

TRUMBULL

Girard: A re-dedication ceremony for the Parkwood War Memorial is at 9:30 a.m. at the Girard Multi-Generational Center, 443 Trumbull Ave. Retired Air Force Lt. Col. J.D. Williams and the Rev. Sarah Jay of First Baptist Church will preside, and the Girard Honor Guard will participate. The memorial, originally dedicated in 1963 to the men and women who served in the military from the Girard community, fell into disrepair. Local veterans organizations and community members donated funds to repair the memorial and it was re-set in front of the center.

Girard: A parade forms at the corner of Broadway and Market at 5:30 p.m. and steps off at 6. Along the parade route on the viaduct, representatives of several veterans organizations will toss a wreath into the Mahoning River to honor Navy and Coast Guard veterans, followed by playing of taps and a rifle salute by the Girard Veterans Council Honor Guard. A second ceremony will be conducted at the war memorial in front of City Hall, where a wreath will be placed honoring veterans. Mayor James Melfi will be the speaker, and the Rev. Betsy Schenk of Girard First Methodist Church will give the invocation and benediction. Girard High School Band will provide music, and Leslie Kloc will play a selection on the bagpipes.

Leavittsburg: LaBrae High School, 1001 N. Leavitt Road, will honor all local veterans with an assembly at 8:30 a.m. Government students will participate in Bring a Veteran to School Day sponsored by the History Channel. Keynote speaker is state Sen. Joseph Schiavoni of Canfield, D-33rd.

Liberty: The township in cooperation with Liberty High School is having a program at 1:30 p.m. at the high school auditorium. The high school band and choir will perform, and the Liberty Township police and fire departments will provide a color guard.

Niles: Victory Christian School, 2053 Pleasant Valley Road, has its annual Veterans Day Brunch at 9 a.m. Wednesday. All veterans and their guests are invited. A full brunch, provided by the families of VCS and local restaurants, will be served. A program will follow which will include students, guest speaker C. Michael Levelle, and a local color guard. Veterans who plan to attend should call the school office at 330-539-9827.

Warren: Lincoln K-8 School will have a program in the cafetorium from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. Thursday. Willard K-8 School will have a program at 9 a.m. by the kindergraten through second-grade pod, and a program at 6:30 p.m. by the fifth- through eighth-grade pod in the school gymnasium. The pod’s choirs will honor the family members who are currently serving or have served in the U.S. military. Students were asked to bring in pictures of family members who have or currently are serving in the military. The pictures will be displayed on a wall that night as well. McGuffey K-8 School will have an elementary school choir concert for veterans at 9:30 a.m. Jefferson K-8 School also will have an assembly to honor veterans at 9:30 a.m. in the cafetorium.

MAHONING

Beaver: A service will be at 1 p.m . Saturday at the Veterans Memorial, state Routes 164 and 165. In case of rain, the service will be at the fire station on state Route 165.

Boardman: The 13th annual Forgotten Heroes Program is at 2 p.m. Saturday at Lake Park Cemetery, 1459 E. Midlothian Blvd.

Boardman: West Boulevard Elementary School will have a Veterans Day luncheon and program. The luncheon is from 11 a.m. to noon, and the third grade will present a musical program from 12:15 to 12:40 p.m. Veterans are encouraged to bring their stories to share with the children and respond by Wednesday if they wish to attend by calling 330-726-3427.

Campbell: Sts. Rosa de Lima and Lucy Churches will have a Veterans Day Mass at 7 p.m. The Women’s Choral Group of Youngstown State University will sing a medley of patriotic songs after Mass in the parish lounge followed by refreshments.

Canfield: 11 a.m. service at Canfield Presbyterian Church, 140 W. Main St.

Canfield: Canfield Middle School, 42 Wadsworth St., is the site of a program at 9 a.m. Students will present reflections and poems with music provided by the school choir. A student will play taps.

Lowellville: Michael Lacivita, a World War II Navy veteran, is the featured speaker at the Veterans Day observance of American Legion Post 247 at 6 p.m. Thursday. The meeting is on the second floor of Lowellville City Hall. Post 247 members and their guests are invited to a pot-luck dinner. The meat and salad will be provided.

Struthers: A ceremony at 11 a.m. at the Struthers Veterans War Memorial in front of Struthers High School at the corner of Euclid and Morrison streets. Guest speaker is Navy Lt. Cmdr. John Holzer, head of the Naval Operational Support Center at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna. There will also be remarks by Gene Yuhas and Amelia Zaluski, co-chairmen of the Veterans Memorial Committee. A wreath honoring veterans will be placed at the memorial by Donna Burford of American Legion Post 158 and a gun salute by members of VFW Post 7538. Laddie J. Fedor is master of ceremonies; the colors will be posted by the Civil Air Patrol, and high school students Leigham Weolls and Danny Grich will perform.

Youngstown: Donald Lockett VFW Post 6488, American Legion Post 504 and the Ladies Auxiliary will pay tribute to African-American soldiers who helped build the Burma (Ledo) Road and Mahoning County Sheriff Randall Wellington at its Veterans Day service at 11 a.m. at the Post 6488 Hall, 2065 Coitsville-Hubbard Road. Guest speaker is Command Sgt. Maj. Jonathan L. Williams, a 1989 graduate of North Bloomfield High School. He has more than 22 years of military service, including serving in Desert Storm, Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Youngstown: American Legion Post 504 and Auxiliary Unit 504 are having a program to honor and celebrate veterans at 5 p.m. at 2225 Glenwood Ave. Keynote speaker is the Rev. Solomom Hill of Centenary Church, who served as a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps. Special honoree is Youngstown Clerk of Courts Sarah Brown-Clark.

Youngstown: The United Veterans Council of Greater Youngstown will have a ceremony at the Mahoning County Courthouse rotunda, 120 Market St., at 11 a.m. Guest speaker is Air Force Reserve Maj. Brent Davis, the 910th Airlift Wing’s public affairs officer.

COLUMBIANA

East Palestine: Veterans from the East Palestine City School District are invited to a Veteran’s Day Assembly presented by the senior class and Social Studies Department. The assembly will be at 8 a.m. in the high school auditorium, 360 W. Grant St. Veterans are asked to call the high school to sign up for the program at 330-426-9401. Refreshments will be served after the presentation.

MISCELLANEOUS

The 11th annual Golden Corral Restaurants Veterans Appreciation Dinner is from 5 to 9 p.m. Monday . The free meal is available to any person who has served in the U.S. military including retirees, veterans, active duty, National Guard or Reserve, at all Golden Corral Restaurants. Partners from the Disabled American Veterans will be present to answer questions concerning veteran benefits.

Akron: North Coast WAVES Unit 21 in conjunction with Community Hospice of Tuscarawas, Stark and Carroll counties will have a Veterans Day celebration at 12:15 p.m. Saturday at the 356th Fighter Squadron. Women veterans of the northeastern Ohio unit of WAVES National will be honored for their military service. Members of the North Coast WAVES Unit 21 include residents from the Youngstown, Akron, and Wooster areas. The women being honored have served from WWII through current military conflicts.