New Legion monuments to be dedicated

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A ceremony in the making since 2022 will take place in Van Wert on Veterans Day, November 11. Two local schools have also planned ceremonies to commemorate the service of all U.S. veterans.

Dedication ceremony

Van Wert American Legion Post 178 will hold a pair of ceremonies on Veterans Day, November 11.

The first one will begin at 10:30 a.m. to dedicate additions to Memorial Park, outside of the Legion building on W. Main St. Four new monuments will be unveiled – one honoring Persian Gulf veterans, one honoring veterans of the Afghan War, another honoring local law enforcement officers and first responders, and another honoring local firefighters. Currently, names of World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War veterans who lost their lives in combat are inscribed on the main monument in the park. Tiles with names of local veterans will also be unveiled at the ceremony. Plans to add the new monuments were first announced in July, 2022, and funds were raised for the project. Following the dedication ceremony, American Legion Post 178’s annual Veterans Day ceremony will be held at 11 a.m.

The public is welcome and encouraged to attend both the dedication and annual ceremonies.

Lincolnview High School

Lincolnview’s annual Veterans Day program will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday, November 8, in the Lincolnview High School gymasium. This will be the 12th year Lincolniview  has honored veterans either through an in-person program, a card shower (during COVID-19), or gift card dinner event.

Officials from Honor Flight Northeast Indiana will be the keynote speakers.

Informational forms were sent home with students and are due back to Renner no later than Monday, November 4.

Van Wert High School

Van Wert High School will honor local veterans on Monday, November 11, with a Veterans Day assembly. Students will read poems and recognize local veterans in attendance and the audience will be treated to a performance of the Star Spangled Banner by the high school concert choir.

Local veterans, their families and community members are invited to join the event, which is scheduled for 10:25 a.m. in the Niswonger Performing Arts Center Music Hall. As a thank you for their service, veterans will be treated to coffee and cookies from 9:45 a.m. until the start of the assembly in the PAC lobby.

Should there be a two-hour delay, the event will start at the same time and place. Should there be a three-hour delay, however, the assembly will move to the high school gym with seating on the visitor’s side of the gymnasium and will begin at 11:25 a.m. Coffee and cookies will be available outside the gym at 10:45 a.m. If, for some reason, school is canceled, the assembly will follow suit.