How To Honor Military Personnel, What’s Open, Closed: Veterans Day In Manatee County

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

The following services and facilities in Manatee County will be closed in observance of the holiday:

• Manatee County government offices
• Manatee County Libraries
• Manatee County Schools
• All city of Bradenton government and administrative offices

The following services and facilities are unaffected by the holiday:

• Manatee County trash, recycling and yard waste collections won’t be impacted this week by Veterans Day and will follow the normal collection schedule.
• Manatee County Area Transit, the Anna Maria Island Trolley and the Longboat Key Shuttle and regular weekday Handy Bus will operate as normal on Thursday. Customer service booths at the downtown Bradenton and Desoto Transit stations will remain open and staffed.
• City of Bradenton’s current trash, recycling and yard waste pick-up won’t be affected by Veterans Day and will follow the normal collection schedule.

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, here are some Veterans Day events in the Bradenton area:

• Clerk’s Office waives fees: Throughout the month of November, the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller will waive all fees for veterans and active-duty military personnel in the month of November.
• Manatee County Veterans Council Veterans Day Program: Thursday, 11 a.m., at Veterans’ Monument Park. The guest speaker at this event will be Kevin Wright, retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel. Annual awards for Veteran of the Year, Auxiliary of the Year and Civilian of the Year will be presented.
• Soldiers and Sailors Parade: Thursday, 1 p.m., parade route runs from city hall at 10005 Gulf Drive to City Pier Park at 103 N. Bay Blvd. in Anna Maria.
• Veterans Day Catholic Mass: Thursday, 2:45 p.m., Sarasota National Cemetery, 9810 State Road 72, Sarasota. This mass is hosted by the Diocese of Venice with the support of the Knights of Columbus, according to the Florida Catholic. The opening ceremony will include patriotic music, hymns, and the presenting and posting of the colors. This will be immediately followed by mass. After mass, “Taps” will be played.
• Veterans Day Concert: Thursday, 7:30 p.m., State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota at the Neel Performing Arts Center, 5840 26th Street West, Bradenton. The college’s symphonic band will present a concert, “Welcome Home: In Gratitude to Our Veterans.” Entry is free for veterans and $15 for general admission.
• Veterans Health & Wellness Fair: Saturday, 11 a.m., at Goodwill Manasota Veterans Services, 8490 N. Lockwood Ridge Road in Sarasota. This free event offers various on-site health services for veterans, including dental screenings, blood pressure checks and blood sugar screenings. Veterans can also receive guidance on disability claims, learn about counseling services and stress release programs, smoking cessation, opioid treatment, CBD products, and services and activities such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, equine-assisted therapy, hunting and fishing trips, and more.

Restaurants and other businesses will continue to show their appreciation for veterans and active-military members.

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.