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Local communities announce Veterans Day activity schedules

Area communities are hosting programs this week to honor the service of veterans:

Rock County

Evansville: Evansville High School, 640 S. 5th St., will host a Veterans Day program including K-12 students at 9:30 a.m. Monday. The program will include an introduction, the "Red Skelton" Pledge of Allegiance with explanation, musical and choral presentations, slideshows and honoring of the Evansville World War II veterans who took part in the Honor Flight last summer. A coffee and doughnuts social will follow for all veterans and community members. The public is welcome. For more information, call (608) 882-4600.

Janesville:

-- Air Force veteran Ricky Larson, Janesville, who served as an aircraft weapons mechanic, will be the guest speaker at the Veterans Day program at 10:30 a.m. Sunday organized by the Janesville Patriotic Society at Veterans Plaza, Traxler Park.

He is a lieutenant at the Janesville Police Department.

The program will focus on remembering the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War. It also will incorporate many Korean War veterans. After posting the colors, the invocation will be delivered, the national anthem sung and the Pledge of Allegiance recited before the salute to all military branches.

Two new Medal of Honor walkways and monuments were to be dedicated during Sunday's ceremonies but the granite Purple Heart monument was damaged in shipment, said Tom Stehura, society president.

The Patriotic Society now plans to dedicate the Gold Star Mothers and Purple Heart monuments during 2013 Memorial Day services, he said.

After Larson speaks, local veterans will fold the American flag and perform a rifle salute before taps is played. After Purple Heart recipients and gold star mothers are saluted, donors of the new monuments will be recognized before the benediction and colors are retired.

Members of the Associates of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 236 will host a coffee, hot apple cider and donuts social from 9 to 10:30 a.m.

The American Legion Auxiliary Richard Ellis Post 295 will sponsor an 11:30 a.m. chili luncheon in the warming house.

n Janesville Elks Lodge 254 will present the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Medal of Valor to the Orfordville family of Cpl. Benjamin Neal during its Wednesday, Nov. 14, annual Veterans Dinner and Program.

Cocktail hour starts at 5:30 p.m. and will be followed by a meatloaf, mashed potatoes and vegetables dinner with dessert at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $10, but veterans eat free. Reservations are required by calling the Elks Lodge at 608-752-2342.

Neal was 21 when he was killed in action April 25 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. His awards include the NATO Medal, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, The Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Stars.

Orfordville: The public is welcome to attend the American Legion Post 209 Veterans Day program at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Parkview High School, 106 W. Church St., Orfordville. The program will include the presentation of colors by Post 209, the Parkview choir and a guest speaker. A firing squad tribute and retirement of colors will end the program.

Walworth County

Delavan:

-- American Legion Post 95 will host its annual ceremony with flag raising and gun salute at 11 a.m. Sunday at the legion hall, 111 S. Second St.

-- The Delavan-Darien School District will host a Veteran's Day assembly starting at 8:30 a.m. Monday in the east gym at Delavan-Darien High School and one at 1:45 p.m. at Phoenix Middle School.

Elkhorn:

-- American Legion Post 45 and the VFW will hold a remembrance appreciation program at 9 a.m. today at Tibbets Elementary School, W5218 County A.

-- A flag ceremony and gun salute will start at 11 a.m. Sunday at the town square. A social hour at 5:30 p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m. will be held for all veterans Monday at VFW hall, 16 S. Broad St. Cost is $10.

-- A color guard ceremony will start at 3 p.m. Sunday at Sperino's, 720 N. Wisconsin St.

Walworth:

-- American Legion Post 102 will perform a gun salute and presentation of colors at 9 a.m. Monday at Walworth Middle/Elementary School, 121 Beloit St.

-- A veterans appreciation open house will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Monday at Exemplary Financial Network, 630 Kenosha St.

Whitewater:

-- The VFW and American Legion will participate in a ceremony at 6 p.m. Sunday at Fellowship Hall at Fairhaven, 435 W. Starin Road. Afterward, the American Legion will host a dinner at its hall, 292 S. Wisconsin St. Social hour will start at 6:30 p.m. with the meal starting at 7 p.m. Cost is $5 per person.

-- Representatives from UW-Whitewater will hold a Veterans Day recognition ceremony at 11 a.m. Monday at the Alumni Center flagpole. The ceremony will feature the firing of three volleys and Taps played by the Army and Air Force ROTC.

Free lunch will be available for veterans from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at UW-Whitewater dining services. Veterans must be in uniform or present a military ID.

An art gallery reception titled "Stories of Soldiers…Contributions form Campus & Community Members with an Emphasis on WWII" will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Roberta's Art Gallery in the University Center.