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Celebrations to honor veterans set for
Nov. 11 at UT
As veterans across the nation and around the world are honored Nov.
11, 2011, a Veterans Day celebration will be held on the
University of Toledo
Main Campus to give those who served a chance to reconnect
with each other and to provide the public an opportunity to
thank the men and women who keep our country safe.
A breakfast for veterans will be served at
8:45 a.m. at Savage Arena
followed by a presentation at 9:30 a.m.
A ceremony of remembrance open to the public will begin at
11 a.m. at the
UT Veterans’ Plaza, located on
the northwest corner of Centennial Mall. Transportation from the
arena to and from the plaza will be provided. The celebration is
sponsored by the Lucas County
Commissioners, the American Red Cross of Greater
Toledo, the Lucas County
Veterans Service Commission, Block Communications, and UT.
Lt. Col. Jonathan Beasley,
chair of UT’s Department of Military Science, will give the
keynote speech during the morning breakfast. “This is an
opportunity to thank veterans for their service and a reminder
to everyone that in times of need, there always have been men
and women who rise to serve the nation,” Beasley said. “We need
to be sure we recognize their efforts and never take for granted
those who volunteer.”
Lee Armstrong, a retired U.S. Navy veteran and executive director of the Lucas
County Veterans Service Commission, noted that according to the
last census, only 10 percent of Ohioans have served in the armed
forces. “Certainly the families of armed services members also
are asked to make sacrifices, but it is important that we take
the time to stepback and thank veterans and current members of
the armed forces for the work they do to enable the society we
all enjoy,” Armstrong said.
Tim Yenrick,
executive director of the local Red Cross chapter, said support
for veterans and their families around the world is an important
part of the emergency response organization’s mission. “Service
and support for the military and their families is a part of our
past and will be a part of our future,” Yenrick said. “We’re
honored to help celebrate the contributions of so many men and
women to this country.”
In addition to remarks by Lucas County Commissioner Tina Skeldon-Wozniak,
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, Mayor Michael Bell, and State Sen.
Teresa Fedor, there will be words from Jacob Cox, a UT
student and president of the UT Student Veterans of America.
“College can be a difficult transition. You’re often a little
older than those in class with you and have had different
experiences. There’s a mutual bond with other military members
and connecting with them can help make college a better
experience,” said Cox, who served as a U.S. Army specialist in
Iraq with the 82nd Airborne in
2007 and 2008.
The morning’s events will conclude in the plaza with remarks from
UT Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadet Battalion
Commander Chaztine Jablonski, a senior majoring in
criminal justice. “My time at UT and in ROTC has really changed
the meaning and significance of Veterans Day for me,” Jablonski
said. “As my understanding of the military and sacrifices of so
many women and men has grown, so has my thanks for veterans and
members of the armed forces.”
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