Brookline Veterans Day 2017: What's Open, What To Know

BROOKLINE, MA — This year Veterans Day, a national holiday established in 1926 to honor men and women who have served in the military, falls on a Saturday this year. The school holiday is Friday, but the Brookline remembrance will be on Saturday at 11 a.m.. It's usually held at the War Monument next to Town Hall, but this year the ceremony will be moved indoors on account of the cold temperature. (Thanks to Town Meeting Member and Navy Veteran Neil Gordon for updating Patch).

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Day marks an armistice, or a temporary cessation of hostilities, between Allied nations and Germany during the first world ward. In November of the following year, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day.
However, Armistice Day was originally set aside to honor veterans of World War 1, but following World War 2 in 1954, Congress amended the act of 1938 by striking out the word Armistice and replacing it with the word Veterans. President Dwight D. Eisenhower later issued a Veterans Day Proclamation which stated:

"In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible."

Scroll down below to see Saturday's schedule and a short list of what's open and closed.

In case you missed this Veteran's story: Remains of Brookline Airman Lost in WWII Come Home

The schedule for Saturday:

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2017 11:00 A.M.

WORLD WAR MONUMENT

WELCOME John Tynan, Commander - Veterans of Foreign

Wars, Stephen F. Rutledge Post 864

Vietnam Veteran

MASTER OF CEREMONIES William T. McGroarty, Director - Brookline Office

of Veterans’ Services

INVOCATION Father Brian Clary, St. Mary’s Church

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Elmon Hendrickson, Commander-American Legion Post 11

MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR John Tynan, Commander – Veterans of Foreign

2nd LT. RICHARD HORWITZ Wars, Stephen F. Rutledge Post 864

WWII, U.S. ARMY/AIRFORCE

716TH BOMBER SQUADRON

PRESENTATION OF John Tynan, Commander – VFW Post 864

ARTHUR HURLEY MEMORIAL Elmon Hendrickson, Commander – AL Post 11

AWARDS TO VFW OFFIC ER

JACK MCCARTHY

American Legion Po

INTRODUCTION OF William T. McGroarty, Director - Brookline Office

SOLOIST of Veterans’ Services

"NATIONAL ANTHEM" Kristin DeFosse

INTRODUCTION OF DIGNITARIES William T. McGroarty, Director - Brookline Office of Veterans’ Services

GREETINGS FROM THE TOWN Bernard Greene, Board of Selectmen

PROCLAMATION NOVEMBER 11TH PROCLAMATION

Representative Frank Israel Smizik

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

PATRIOTIC SONG Kristin DeFosse

INTRODUCTION OF GUEST William T. McGroarty, Director - Brookline Office

SPEAKER of Veterans’ Services

GUEST SPEAKER Colonel Mark Johnson, US Army (Ret)

VFW Post #864/American Legion Post #11 Member

“AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL” Kristin DeFosse

PLACING OF THE WREATH Jack McCarthy, Member - Veterans of

OF THANKS AND SALUTE Foreign Wars, Stephen F. Rutledge Post

Sean Locke, Finance Officer - American Legion

Post 11

MOMENT OF SILENCE IN Elmon Hendrickson, Commander -

HONOR OF DEPARTED MEMBERS American Legion Post 11

John Tynan, Commander - Veterans of Foreign

Wars, Stephen F. Rutledge Post 864

HONOR GUARD Members of Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Brookline Police Department, Brookline Fire Department

DISTRIBUTION OF VIETNAM Diane Laffey, DAR

SERVICE & SURVIVING

SPOUSE LAPEL PINS

VETERANS SERVICE AWARD TO William T. McGroarty, Director – Brookline Office

MICHELE BILODEAU FMR ASSISTANT

TO VSO,& PATRICIA NORLING – (RET)

BROOKLINE PUBLIC HEALTH

BENEDICTION Father Brian Clary, St. Mary’s Church

“GOD BLESS AMERICA” Kristin DeFosse

If you know of specific businesses that are open or closed, help out your fellow neighbors by telling us in the comment section!

What's Closed Friday

• Public Schools
• Most banks will be closed to observe the holiday
• Parking ticket window at the Police Station

What's Open

• Post offices (closed Saturday)
• Library (closed Saturday)
• Town offices regular hours Friday and Monday

The following will be open at the business owner's discretion

• Restaurants
• Convenience Stores
• Liquor stores
• Retail stores (check with your local retailers first)
• Both the MBTA and the commuter rail will operate on a regular schedule. THE RIDE Service will also operate on schedule. View the schedules here >>>

What about trash?

Brookline trash and recycling pickup is on a regular schedule the weeks of November 6 and 13 (no holiday delays); all those on the town's trash service should put their containers out for pickup on their regularly scheduled pickup day.

Photos by Jenna Fisher/Patch