Washington American Legion, Leon Beatty Post 29, hosted a program Friday at the Blair House in Washington to commemorate Veterans Day and honor those who have served. The event opened with a welcome from Michael York and a prayer with Chapter Chaplain Gene Carpenter. Also included in the ceremony were comments from Keynote Speaker Ron Northup. He shared “I had a little faith restored in the younger generation. I was recently invited to Wellman. The youngsters got up and sang songs to us in the branches of our service and then every one of them shook our hands as they were leaving and thanked us for our service. I thought that was extra extra special. Veterans Day we honor all veterans. Memorial Day we honor the ones that didn’t come home. I think the young guys are starting to realize who we are and that does my heart a lot of good. I know it does these guys (the other veterans) hearts a lot of good too. So I want to thank everyone for coming today. By the way, yesterday (November 10th) was the 247th birthday of Marine Corps…Oorah!”
and a performance by the Washington Middle School Chorus under the direction of Cailee Wenger. After portions of the program inside, members of the Legion Post made their way outdoors for a rifle salute. Veterans Day, originally known as Armistice Day, occurs each November 11th in the United States as a way to honor those who have served. The date coincides with the establishment of the Treaty of Versailles which ended World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. In November of 1919, then President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th as the first commemoration of Armistice Day and in 1954 then President Dwight D. Eisenhower, issued the first Veterans Day Proclamation changing the official name of the observance to honor American veterans of all wars.