Veterans Day Service Unfolds In Southold Monday

NORTH FORK, NY — A crowd is set to turn out in Southold Monday to honor the nation's heroes at a heartfelt and gratitude-filled Veterans Day service held at the American Legion's Griswold Terry Glover Post 803.

The service is set to take place at 11 a.m. at the Legion, located at 51655 Main Road in Southold.

Scouts and the NJROTC will attend the event, along with elected officials, veterans and members of the public.

At least year's event, former Commander Charles Sanders pointed out a new tradition that was born in Southold in 2021 for Veterans Day when a 9/11 memorial Swamp White Oak sapling was planted, derived directly from the trees located at the 9/11 memorial in New York City.

A family who lives in New York City collected the Swamp White Oak acorns on their daily walks by the World Trade Center Memorial during the pandemic, he explained. "They nurtured the acorns in their apartment and found great meaning in watching them sprout," Sanders said.

Next, in the summer of 2020, they gave a sprout to a North Fork family, Peter, Claire and Jack, who adopted the seedling and nurtured it, before offering it to the American Legion — and the idea for a permanent memorial was conceived, Sanders said, at the time.

The reason the Swamp White Oaks were chosen for the 9/11 Memorial, he said, was that they are native to all three spots impacted by the attacks, including New York City, Virginia, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Sanders said it was important to teach children about 9/11.

As the tree grows, pavers will honor new veterans every year.