Arlington Heights Veterans Day: How To Honor Military Personnel

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — While Veterans Day is set for Thursday, Nov. 11, a celebration and free breakfast for veterans is planned this weekend. The event is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, at Luther Village - Wittenberg Commons, Lakeview Club (second floor), 1250 Village Drive.

Reservations, which are required, can be made at 847-670-7200 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. through Friday.

The event is being organized by the Veterans Memorial Committee of Arlington Heights. Details include:

• Free breakfast will be provided to all veterans of the US Armed Forces
• Portrait of a Soldier – portraits of the 330 service persons who died 9/11 & forward
• Guest Speaker: James Mukoyama, USA, Major General (retired)
• Annual “Remembering Our Veterans” photo (after the event).

COVID-19 precautions for the breakfast are:

1. Vaccination against COVID.
2. No documentation is required - Honor System.
3. Masks when not eating or drinking.
4. Stay home if you are feeling ill.

The post office and most banks will be closed in Arlington Heights next Thursday in observance of Veterans Day, a federal holiday that honors veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

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.

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.

Many businesses and organizations offer Veterans Day discounts and deals Some can be found here: 2021 Veterans Day Freebies, Retail Discounts, and Special Offers (themilitarywallet.com)

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