Veterans Day events in the Lehigh Valley
Veterans Day is Nov. 11. Here is a list of events honoring veterans in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas.
The Memorial Library of Nazareth and Vicinity offers its annual Veterans Day Celebration and Presentation 6 p.m. Nov. 7. A musical tribute to area veterans will be offered by Jennie Flicker's piano studio, choral group Noteworthy from Nazareth Area High School, and the MLNV's ukulele orchestra. Nazareth Mayor Lance Colondo will present his remarks and Rev. Otto Dreydoppel will give the invocation. Boy Scout troop #76 will serve as color guard. Rhonda Stark, Friend of the Library treasurer, will formally present items the library is currently collecting for veterans at Gracedale Nursing Home. These items will be delivered to Gracedale for a second special ceremony the following week, when Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure will share remarks.
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce Veterans Day Breakfast, 8:30 a.m. Nov. 8, Orwigsburg Veterans Memorial Hall, 300 Grove St., Orwigsburg. Keynote speaker is Sgt. David Ragan, president/founder, Veterans Promise. $40; $30, members; free, veterans. Reservations required. 570-622-1942, schuylkillchamber.com
A Salute the Troops concert will be held at 3 p.m. Nov. 10 at Northeast Middle School, 1170 Fernwood St., Bethlehem, with music by the Allentown Band with the Northeast Middle School Band and Chorus. Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bethlehem Morning Star. Benefits the Victory House of the Lehigh Valley. Tickets: $10.
Veterans Program, honoring veterans of the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and Hometown Heroes. Music by the American Legion Band of Bethlehem. Doors open at 1 p.m.; program starts at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 10, Northampton High School Auditorium, 1619 Laubach Ave., Northampton.
Blues, Brews and Stews, The Slatington Expo Center, 8281 Pennsylvania 873, Slatington. Various breweries, wineries, and a distillery, along with multiple vendors inside the expo center celebrate and recognize our past and present military personnel. Samples of different stews and soup, live music, more. $25; $15, veterans/military personnel, advance; $30; $20, veterans/military personnel day of event. Valley Marines, in honor of the corps' 249th birthday, will gather at 1 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Marine Corps Memorial at Cedar Beach, Hamilton and Ott streets, Allentown. Bethlehem Detachment 284 will host the event. A cake-cutting ceremony will be held after the ceremony at Cetronia Fire Company Social Club, 18 S. Scenic St. Allentown.
Stephens Funeral Home,
Veterans Day Ceremony, 10:30 a.m. Nov. 11, Hackett Park, Easton.
Veterans Day Celebration, noon Nov. 11, Victory House of LV, 314 Fillmore St., Bethlehem.
Marine Corps League Parade,
DeSales University Office of Veterans and Military Services will hold a Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 in the DeSales University Center, 2755 Station Ave., Upper Saucon Township. Featured speaker is Michel Paradis, a leading human rights lawyer, historian, and national security law scholar. Paradis is a partner at the international law firm Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP and a lecturer at Columbia Law School, where he teaches courses on national security law, international law, the constitution, and the law of war.
He is also the author of the book "Last Mission to Tokyo," about war crimes trials in the Pacific after World War II. He previously worked for the U.S. Department of Defense, focusing on human rights litigation and policy work arising out of Guantanamo Bay.
The event will also feature DeSales alumni John and Carol Kukitz, who will speak about Carol's father, a World War II Air Force pilot. John Kukitz is a U.S. Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient who served in the Vietnam War. The Dieruff High School Air Force JROTC and the John Rivers Memorial VFW Post 11322, Quakertown will also perform.
Williams Township residents will hold a Veterans Day Program 11 a.m. Nov. 11 at the Williams Township Municipal Campus, 655 Cider Press Road to pay tribute to our nation's veterans. Students from Williams Township Elementary School will offer a personal salute to members of the service branches. Pastor Walter Alpaugh of Evangelical Congregational Lutheran Church will offer opening and closing prayers.
Chuck Yeoman, will serve as master of ceremonies. Flag raisers include Jess Murray, Mike Strawn, Richard Seiffert, and Arnold Strawn. Parking is available at the Williams Township Municipal Building. Attendees are urged to bring their own chairs.
Brandywine Heights Area School District will host its annual Veterans Day Program and luncheon beginning at 9 a.m. Nov. 11 at the middle school, 200 W. Weis St., Topton. The objective of the program is to honor our country, thank our veterans for their service, and promote citizenship within our student body and faculty. Veterans speak to classes, Q&A session, tour the school, view Mini Museum artifacts, therapy dogs, or visit the hospitality room (9-11:45 a.m.), program with a fife and drum corps, band and chorus numbers, readings, and the Patriot Award (noon-1:15 p.m.), luncheon in the cafeteria (1:15-2:15 p.m.). Info 610-682-5131, or contact Karl at .
East Stroudsburg University will host its 16th annual Veterans Day Celebration at 1 p.m. Nov. 11 at 1 p.m. to recognize local veterans, servicemen and servicewomen in all branches of the armed services. The celebration will be in Beers Lecture Hall. In addition, there will be a military observance adjacent to the "Julia" statue at the front campus circle. Julia was originally acquired by East Stroudsburg State Normal School alumni in 1919 to commemorate and honor the school's servicemen and women who had died in World War I.
The keynote speaker for this year's event is Lt. Col. Michael S. Gielbeda. Gielbeda is the 111th Operations Support Squadron flight commander of the communications section and cyber operations officer at Biddle Air National Guard Base in Horsham. He is responsible for planning, organizing, and executing cyberspace and information operations and mission assurance for the MQ-9 mission. Gielbeda leads 32 military members and 23 civilian contractors ensuring critical communications equipment and circuits are fully mission capable 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Additionally, he develops plans and policies, guaranteeing operational readiness and advising the Commanders on all aspects of communications issues affecting the mission.
The Veterans Day Celebration program will also include the armed forces medley, a wreath laying by ESU President Kenneth Long and Gielbeda, a three-volley salute by the Monroe County Joint Veterans Honor Guard, and the playing of taps. A reception will be held following the program in the foyer of Zimbar-Liljenstein Hall. For information, contact June Pepe in the Student Enrollment Center at 570-422-2812 or at .
and Phoebe Ministries will host a Veterans Day panel discussion 6 p.m. Nov. 11 in the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas, 101 Fouders Way, Bethlehem. Info: steelstacks.org.
