Veterans Day Events Start Tonight With Free Concert, Culminate with Community Celebrations Friday

By Alyssa Schnugg

News editor

alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

Veterans Day ceremonies in Oxford kick off tonight with a free concert and end with a community celebration on the Square on Friday.

Tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Gertrude Ford Center for the Performing Arts, the University of Mississippi Chorus and Orchestra and members of the Oxford Civic Chorus will join together for a musical salute to all veterans of the United States military.

This community event will feature many patriotic musical favorites including “America, the Beautiful,” “Salute to the Armed Forces,” “This is My Country,” and “God Bless America.”

In addition to the musical offerings, special tributes will be presented including honoring current University of Mississippi student veterans, the veterans at the Veterans Home of Mississippi in Oxford, and a special salute to veterans of loved ones and friends of local Oxford and Lafayette county citizens and of current Ole Miss students.

This event is free admission, but tickets are required and can be obtained by calling the Ford Center box office at 662-915-7411.

The Lafayette Air Force Junior ROTC will hold its 19th Annual Veterans Day program on Friday in the high school gym at 9 a.m.

The event is open to the public, especially Veterans. Special performance by the high school band and choir. The keynote speaker is Dr. Will Dabbs.

At 10:45 a.m. on Friday, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3978, the American Legion Post 55, the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 48 and the Marine Corp League Det. 1431 will host the annual Veteran’s Day Celebration.

This year, the event will be held in front of City Hall.

The Master of Ceremonies will be Greg Lovelady, VFW Commander.

The 41st MS National Guard Band will perform patriotic music. The Oxford Police Honor Guard will present the colors and Melanie Manuel Beard will sing the national anthem.

Representatives from the city and county will welcome the crowd before this year’s guest speaker, newly re-elected 1st Congressional District U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly (R-Miss) takes the podium.

Trent has spent 36 years in the Mississippi Army National Guard as a Combat Engineer and is currently serving as a Major General.

He has received two Bronze Stars, the Combat Action Badge, the Bronze, Silver, and Gold de Fleury medals, and numerous other federal and state awards for his service.

The Rev. James Petermann will give the invocation and the benediction.