Veterans Day In Lake Forest Area: How To Honor Military Personnel

LAKE FOREST, IL — The post office and most banks will be closed in the Lake Forest area Thursday in observance of Veterans Day, a federal holiday that honors veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

In Lake Bluff, a Veterans Day ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday at the Village Green.

Then at 12:35 p.m., Lake Forest American Legion McKinlock Post 264 and Lake Forest High School are hosting an in-person Veterans Day program at the high school's Raymond Moore Auditorium. Those wishing to attend may RSVP in advance, and people who wish to watch remotely may do so online.

On Friday at noon, the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce is hosting a special Veterans Day presentation over video-teleconferencing software. The webinar will feature commanding officer Col. David Joseforsky and Sg. Major Roberto Alviso from Marine Air Control Group 48 at Naval Station Great Lakes and a discussion of the Marine Corps' role at the naval station and its annual "Toys for Tots" program

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.

Related: Inaugural Flag-Raising Ceremony Marks Veterans Day In Lake Forest

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.

There will be no change to refuse, recycling or yard waste collection for the Veterans Day holiday.

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