Post 11 to hold Veterans Day programs next week

A patriotic community will honor those who have served our country in the armed forces with a series of Veterans Day programs next Wednesday in Lovell and Cowley, preceded by a veterans breakfast on Saturday.

Programs are being held for Veterans Day in both School District No. 1 and School District No. 2.

The program for Lovell schools at the LHS Johnny Winterholler Gym will begin at 8:45 a.m. Wednesday with the high school band playing a prelude.

After welcoming remarks by Supt. William Hiser, members of Robert Boyd Stuart American Legion Post 11 will post the colors, and the audience will be asked to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The choir will lead in the singing of the National Anthem.

The program will include remarks by various district administrators interspersed by numbers performed by the high school and middle school bands, Lovell Elementary School students and combined elementary, middle school and high school singers.

As the combined choirs sing “A Tribute to the Armed Forces,” veterans in attendance will be asked to stand when choir members sing the hymn for their branch of the military.

A moment of silence will be held for those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and David Peck will play “Taps.” The band will play the recessional “God Bless America.”

Rocky Mountain

Rocky Mountain Middle/High School will hold a Veterans Day program Wednesday at the RMMHS Gym, starting at 1:30 p.m.

According to music director Gerry Burton, the guest speaker will be retired Army veteran Ryan Weston, who served from 2009 to 2017, stationed at Fort Bragg and deployed to Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan. He lived in Wyoming before his deployment and is currently a civilian working at Fort Irwin in California.

The program begins with welcoming remarks by RMMHS principal Betsy Sammons and the posting of the colors by American Legion Post 11, followed by the song “God Bless America” performed by all-school combined choir. Next, elementary school students will sing “Veterans, We’re So Proud of You,” and RMMHS students will sing “God Bless the USA.”

After Weston speaks, the combined choirs will sing “Armed Forces: Pride of America.” The colors will then be retired.

Senior Center

Robert Boyd Steward American Legion Post 11 will hold a Veterans Day program Wednesday at noon at the North Big Horn Senior Citizens Center.

Master of ceremonies Jim Thomas will introduce all veterans in attendance, and honor quilts will be presented to four local veterans: Mike Kitchen, Kimmy Curtis, Lee Hudon and Steve Egert.

Taps will be played by Ray Messamer, and the colors will be presented by members of Post 11.

Other details for the program are still being finalized.

Veterans breakfast

Kristi DeFuentes and Sherry Morthole will host a veterans breakfast on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Lovell Fire Hall, assisted by Tim DeFuentes. Students from The Point youth house at Lovell High School will serve, and members of the Bible Church will help set up and prepare the meal, led by cooks Steve Lillard and Jackie Hudon.

The crew will serve breakfast burritos, biscuits and gravy, eggs and ham. The meal is for all area veterans and their families, as well as active-duty members of the military and their families. The meal is free, though donations will be accepted.