Veterans Day In Farmington Hills: How To Honor Military Personnel

FARMINGTON-FARMINGTON HILLS — Although the post office and most banks will be closed in Farmington and Farmington Hills on Thursday in observance of Veterans Day, there are several ways you can honor veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

• The Groves-Walker Post 346 in Farmington will host a short Veterans Day ceremony followed by a Bloody Mary buffet and burgers for lunch at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at 31775 Grand River Avenue. Doors open at 11 a.m. For information, call 248-939-4910.
• The City of Farmington Hills Special Services Adults 50 & Better Division will host its annual Veterans Day Celebration, 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 11 at the Costick Center, 28600 Eleven Mile Road in Farmington Hills. The event will feature an honor guard ceremony conducted by the VFW and the American Legion, a recitation of veterans’ names, and a celebratory luncheon, according to a press release.

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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.