Veterans Day: History, crafts, printables and events in Atlanta

November 11, 9:15 AMAtlanta Northside Family & Parenting ExaminerJackie Kass

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Celebrate veterans Day with kids
civicthinking.com

Celebrate Veterans Day with kids by sharing its history, making a patriotic craft or attending a local event. Veterans Day, a national holiday that honors America’s military veterans, is an excellent opportunity to talk to kids about the sacrifices our military men and women make on a daily basis. Because our military is currently engaged in dangerous and violent conflicts, this Veterans Day is the perfect time to help your kids honor our brave soldiers, both past and present. Explain to them how our military men and women voluntarily put themselves in harm’s way to protect what they hold dear. Help your kids understand that our military has protected our country throughout the ages, and because of it we still enjoy the freedoms granted by our Constitution. If your kids have grandparents who are veterans, visit them or call them today. Let your child ask about their time spent in the military. Grandparents usually love to discuss their pasts, especially when it relates to the time they spent defending our country. There are lots of national and local events planned for Veterans Day. If you have the opportunity, try to participate in one of them. If not, at least try to spend a little time today discussing Veterans Day, its history and the heroic contributions our service men and women have made in the past, and continue to make each and every day today.

The History of Veterans Day: Veterans Day is both a national and state holiday and is celebrated every year on November 11th. It is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, falling on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. The day became a legal holiday in 1938 and it was proclaimed "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'." President Dwight Eisenhower signed a bill in 1953 that changed the name of Armistice Day to Veterans Day. Today, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military - in wartime or peacetime. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served - not only those who died - have sacrificed and done their duty.

Veterans Day activities for children:

• Veterans Day Crafts: Grab some popsicle sticks, markers or paint, glue and construction paper and make a Veteran's Day Stick Flag. These are great to take along and give to vets if you head out to the local parade. You can also make a Lincoln penny pendant that your child can proudly wear today.
• Veterans Day Coloring Pages: Apples4theteacher.com offers four free Veterans Day coloring pages for kids. Color.com also offers a nice selection of Veterans Day coloring pages for kids.
• Veterans Day Worksheets: Printing out some worksheets to do as a family, gives you an opportunity to do a history lesson with your kids on the origin and meaning of Veterans Day.

National Veterans Day Ceremony: The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held on November 11th at Arlington National Cemetery. At 11:00 a.m., a color guard, made up of members from each of the military services, renders honors to America's war dead during a tradition-rich ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns. The ceremony takes place inside the Memorial Amphitheater.

Veterans Day Events in Atlanta:

• Annual Douglas County Veterans Day Ceremony: Annual Veterans Day Ceremony in the Courthouse Atrium, featuring the Moment of Silence at 11 a.m. in honor of 11/11/11. Program presented by the Winston Elementary School Chorus. Open to the Public.
• Douglas County 12th Annual Veterans Day Lighted Parade on November 11th. The parade steps off at 7:00 p.m. from the front parking lots of Douglas County High School, and goes north on Campbellton Street past the Post Office to Church Street, then west on Church Street through the historic downtown district to Bowden Street, south on Bowden Street to Upshaw, east on Upshaw, then south on Price, Woodrow and Campbellton back to the high school. The parade route is approximately one mile long, and has a police escort for safety. The parade is “lighted” - many of the units in the parade are illuminated; walking units carry flashlights and lanterns, motorized units have patriotic lights on them. All units in the parade are required to salute our military, veterans, and/or the American Flag. Self-promotion is not allowed. The parade follows lighted streets for safety, but the lighting of the parade units adds to the celebration.
• Marietta Veterans Day Parade – November 11th at 11:00 a.m. The fifth annual parade begins at Roswell Street Baptist Church (at 774 Roswell Street, Marietta) at 11 a.m. and proceeds to the Marietta Square. Entries include marching bands, drill teams, floats, veterans' organizations and military vehicles. A noon ceremony will be held on the square.

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