Plans laid out for local Veterans Day observances

Special events are planned for both the City of Dexter and at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield to commemorate Veterans Day next Wednesday, Nov. 11.

The third annual Veteran Day Memorial Honors Program will take place at Bloomfield commencing at 1 p.m. at the committal shelter pavilion on the Veterans Cemetery grounds.

Guest speaker for the program will be Blair Moran, a lifelong resident of Southeast Missouri, who has been honored as Citizen of the Year from the Sikeston Lions Club and was also bestowed the Community service Award from both the Sikeston Jaycees and the local DAR Chapter.

Over 1025 interments have been conducted at the Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield since its opening in September 2003. Veterans from WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War have all been laid to rest and honored for their service at the Bloomfield Veterans Cemetery.

Families and friends of those interred, as well as the general public, are invited to attend the 1 p.m. ceremony on Nov. 11 to honor all veterans of the armed forces.

In the City of Dexter, the Veterans Day observance will begin at 11 a.m. on Wednesday with the traditional downtown parade to begin at Harp's parking lot. The parade will proceed east down Stoddard Street to the City Administration Building, where a ceremony honoring the nation's men and women who have served and who are currently serving in the armed forces, will be held.

Dexter High Shool's band will be marching in the parade and fifth graders from Central Elementary School will participate in the ceremony as well.

Fifth grade students have been completing posters honoring veterans and those will be posted in downtown shop windows next week.

The local observance of Veterans Day is sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution, the Heritage Association and the Historic Downtown Dexter Association.

Further information regarding the event may be directed to Delores Bailiff at 624-3609.

In case of inclement, the event will take place in the gymnasium of Dexter High School.