A Stirring Sight — Avenue of Flags to Honor Lake Area’s Veterans
If the sight of The American Flag flying in the breeze against a clear blue sky stirs a bit patriotism in your soul, what do you think seeing more than 700 flags flying will do for you? This Friday, you'll get a chance to see exactly that -- and you shouldn't miss it!
Friday -- 11/11/11 -- is Veterans Day. Here in Lake Charles, American flags will line the entrance and "roadway" throughout the Orange Grove/Graceland Cemetery on Broad Street.
The event began as a project by the Sons of the American Revolution. Each year on Veterans Day, and Memorial Day, many volunteers along with troops of Boy Scouts work tirelessly to display large casket flags in what has become known as The Avenue of Flags.
The flags donated are casket flags (which are large) and given by many families of deceased soldiers. The Avenue of Flags displayed a collection of more than 700 flags on Memorial Day.
Take a few minutes of your day Friday to make the drive through the Avenue of Flags between 8AM and 5PM.
Even if you can't make it out to see the flags, take a moment on Friday to think about the men and women who have served our nation. Happy Veterans Day to all who have given to this great nation:
It is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world and marks the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. (Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.)
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. In proclaiming the holiday, he said
"To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations."[2]
In 1953 a drive began to turn "Armistice" Day into "All Veterans Day" and President Eisenhower signed the measure into law in May of 1954.
--Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veterans_Day