Veterans Day In Lemont: How To Honor Military Personnel

LEMONT, IL — To celebrate Veterans Day in Lemont on Thursday, a ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. at the Lemont VFW, 15780 New Ave.

All are welcome to the ceremony, the Village said on its Facebook page.

On Friday, the Lemont Park District will also hold a Veterans Day luncheon for all active and retired military personnel, and a guest. The event will include lunch, a guest speaker, and a performance by the "Sweet Reminders." You must register for the luncheon in advance.

The post office and most banks will also be closed in Lemont on 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.

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