On Wednesday, November 11, we honor our veterans, the men and women who have served in the armed forces. The birth of Veterans Day dates back to 1919, a year after the end of World War I, and it was originally known as Armistice Day.
Here are two local services:
Montclair Township’s annual Veterans Day Memorial Service will be held today at 11 am in Edgemont Park. Mayor Robert Jackson we be Master of Ceremonies and Pfc. Al Berutti (Army, retired, WWII and Korean War) will be this year’s speaker. Olivia Williams and Emily Applebaum of Glenfield Middle School, House of Gill will provide brief speeches during the cermony. Rev. Dr. Justin Osterman, Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, will perform the invocation and benediction. Montclair vocalist Tracy Herrick will sing the national anthem.
Also attending will be representatives from veterans organizations which include the Crawford Crews American Legion Post 251, Lt. Vincent J. Russo American Legion Post 382, Disabled American Veterans, Daughters of the American Revolution Eagle Rock Chapter, as well as members of the Montclair Red Cross. The Montclair Community Band will perform immediately prior to and after the ceremony and the band’s trumpeter Carl B. Witzig will sound Taps. The Montclair Honor Guard will open the program with the Advance of Colors and will conclude the ceremony with the Retirement of Colors.
In the event of rain, services will be held in the Municipal Building Council Chambers, 205 Claremont Avenue, Montclair.
The sixth annual Essex County Veterans Day Observance will take place Essex County Veterans Memorial Park (West Market Street) in Newark on Tuesday, November 10 at 12 pm. Essex County employees who are veterans of the seven branches of the military represented in the Essex County Armed Forces monument are invited to attend the ceremony.
