New Lenox Veterans Day Ceremony To 'Give Something Back' To Local Vets

NEW LENOX, IL — New Lenox veterans organizations and the Village have planned a Veterans Day ceremony and lunch to honor local veterans.

New Lenox VFW Post 9545, American Legion Post 1977, and Village officials will host a ceremony Saturday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. at the town's veterans memorial in the Commons, 1 Veterans Parkway. The ceremony will be followed up with a lunch, for a veteran and a guest, to be held at the New Lenox Park District, 1 Manor Dr.

"This year’s Veterans Day is on a Saturday, so we wanted to do a little bit more," said Cathy Welch, of the American Legion Auxilary. "We had raised some good funds from the citizens of New Lenox being so generous.

"We wanted to pass it on to our veterans, do something nice."

The ceremony is public and all are invited. Anyone with a hand-held American flag is encouraged to bring it. Veterans and a guest are invited to a special lunch afterward, with details to be announced during the ceremony. The lunch will include some giveaways for a limited number of veterans in attendance, Welch said.

"Please help us focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: a celebration to thank and honor living America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good—in wartime or peacetime," organizers wrote in a flyer.

Giveaway items and lunch will be provided through funds raised combined with contributions from the Village, Welch said. Food will be provided by the organizers.

"Our veterans have done enough for us already," Welch said, "and I felt it was time to do something for them."