Veterans Day celebrated throughout the county

Area communities held special celebrations throughout Cherokee County on Veterans' Day, November 11. Photos from the Aurelia and Cherokee ceremonies are pictured on this page. Aurelia photos by Dan Whitney, Cherokee photos by Mike Leckband, except where noted.

During the Veterans Day program held at Roosevelt Elementary School on Nov. 11 the honored guests, along with veterans in the audience, stood up one at a time and told their name, branch of service and what conflicts they served in. [Click to enlarge]

Members of VFW LA Wescott Post #2253 were all lined up and getting ready prior to the Roosevelt Elementary School's Veterans Day program on Nov. 11. [Click to enlarge]

Pictured (right) - Members of the VFW LA Wescott Post #2253 Color Guard were the honored guests at the Cherokee Middle School on Nov. 11th for the school's Veteran Day program. Pictured (left to right) are: Albert Kleihauer, Robert Vannatta, Harold Heschke, Joe Draper, Todd Elemond, Leroy Jenness, Orville Saxby, Bertrum 'Dutch' Robbins, Richard Waterbury, Mark Patterson, Jerry McDonald, Robert Conley and Steve Reinert. In the background is a flag made by the students at CMS. The flag reads "TO OUR COUNRY'S HEROES; THEY ARE A CUT ABOVE THE REST; LET'S GIVE THE HONOR THAT IS DUE TO OUR COUNTRY'S VERY BEST. WE HONOR OUR LOCAL VETERANS!"

The group started the day attending a program at Roosevelt Elementary School, followed by a program at Cherokee Middle School. From there they attended a program at the Veterans Memorial at the Cherokee County Courthouse, then the visited Careage Hills, Countryside Estates, Cherokee Villa and the Gardens.

Saluting Old Glory - Harold Heschke (left) and Orville Saxby are pictured during the presentation of colors during the Cherokee Middle School's Veterans Day Program. [Click to enlarge]

The group then attended a dinner at the VFW Hall, and Post commander Richard Waterbury also spke briefly at the Chronicle Times' Taste of Home Cooking Show held at the Washington High School Gymnasium that evening. Photo contributed

Retiring the colors - Active Aurelia veterans (and AHS teachers) Aaron Ware (left) and Mike Fry (right) retire the colors at the conclusion of Tuesday's Veterans Day program in Aurelia. [Click to enlarge]

SSgt Mike Fry of the 194th Field Artillery, a teacher in Aurelia for the last 11 years, was the speaker at Aurelia's Veterans Day program, which was put on by the AHS Senior Government class. [Click to enlarge]