Here's How To Honor Veterans In Polk County On Veterans Day

POLK COUNTY, FL — The post office and most banks will be closed in Lakeland on Thursday in observance of Veterans Day, a federal holiday that honors veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

Other Closings Include:

City of Lakeland Hall: Closed

Polk County Government Offices: Closed

All Polk County Libraries: Closed

Offices of board of county commissioners: Closed

Polk County Parks: Open

Bok Tower Gardens: Open

Local Veterans Day Services

Veterans Day Ceremony Lakeland: Elks Lodge #1291 will observe Veterans Day with a ceremony Nov. 11 at 11 a.m.

Veterans Day Haines City: Veterans and families of those who served in armed services are invited to remember and celebrate their bravery and sacrifice. Haines City's Veteran of the Year will be recognized at the event with a plaque and paver placed in the Military Court of Honor. The event starts at 9 a.m., Nov. 11.

Veterans Day Parade Lake Wales: The Veterans Day Parade will take place from 11a.m. - 1 p.m. on Thursday, November 11. Central Avenue Will be closed for the parade. It will go from Dr. MLK Boulevard to Lake Shore Boulevard

History of Veterans Day

Veterans Day, commemorated annually on Nov. 11, was first celebrated in 1919 to honor those who fought in World War I. It was initially called Armistice Day and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

The holiday’s origin is tied to the armistice, a temporary end of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany signed in France on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.
It became Veterans Day in 1954, shortly following the end of the Korean War and less than a decade after World War II, after various veterans service organizations urged Congress to encompass veterans of all wars in their honor.

While some ceremonies, parades and services may be canceled or altered as the coronavirus pandemic continues, restaurants and other businesses will continue to show their appreciation for veterans and active-military members.

Freebies/Discounts
Applebee’s, Bob Evans and Chili’s Grill and Bar are among the national restaurant chains offering free or discounted meals for veterans on Nov. 11, and 7-Eleven is offering a free cup of coffee or Big Gulp.

Other places, such as Golden Corral and Eat'n Park, have offers extended throughout November.
Veterans Day is somewhat related to, and sometimes mistaken for, Memorial Day, the federal holiday on the final Monday of May that is dedicated to those who have died while serving the United States.