LEARNING ABOUT VETERANS DAY – Voice Of The Township
At our last Wayne Township Trustee Office Board Meeting we celebrated the installation of street signs naming Stevenson Way on our property at 320 East Superior Street. In a carefully orchestrated, socially distanced ceremony attended by our board members, WTTO staff, friends and family we recognized former trustee Richard A Stevenson and his contributions to all of Wayne Township’s citizens over the thirteen year tenure of his service.
Trustee Austin Knox, in his speech at the celebration, said of his predecessor, “Mr. Stevenson worked on behalf of the community addressing homelessness and poverty. He provided a food pantry, a clothing emporium, jobs initiatives and many other programs for those in need. We watched him work tirelessly to make Wayne Township a better place to live by giving a hand up to those in need and by making sure that taxpayer dollars were spent responsibly. He did these things in good times and bad—including when he came into office just as the Great Recession was getting underway, then the worst economic downturn since the Depression of 1929.”
Both trustees have done much to promote the American service members of Wayne Township. In recognition of the upcoming Veterans Day on November 11th, I found this little quiz at the Department of Defense’s website. See how many questions you can answer correctly.
Question 1: True or False: This year Veterans Day will be celebrated on a Wednesday.
True. Also called Armistice Day Veterans Day was a commemoration of the signing of the Armistice on November 11, 1919 between the Allied Powers and the Central Powers effectively ending all military operations and hostilities in all theatres and fronts of World War I.
In 1968 Congress signed the Uniform Holiday Bill to ensure that a few federal holidays — Veterans Day included — would be celebrated on a Monday. Officials hoped it would spur travel and other family activities over a long weekend, which would stimulate the economy. That bill set Veterans Day commemorations for the fourth Monday of every October.
“Within a few years, it became pretty apparent that most U.S. citizens wanted to celebrate Veterans Day on November 11, since it was a matter of historic and patriotic significance. So on Sept. 20, 1975, President Gerald Ford signed another law which returned the annual observance to its original date starting in 1978.”
Question 2: What federal holiday do most people confuse with Veterans Day?
Memorial Day. Memorial Day became a federal holiday in 1971 to honor the men and women who died while serving in the military. Veterans Day honors those who served in war or peace and are still alive. Memorial Day is a time to honor the fallen by visiting cemeteries or memorials.
Question 3: Because World War I was a multinational effort, many of the Allied nations celebrate their veterans on November 11th. Which of these countries does not celebrate its veterans on November 11th?
Kenya. Ceremonies are held in Kenya about two weeks after November 11th. That’s because word of the armistice took two weeks to reach the troops in Africa.
Question 4: True or False: Veterans Day is not spelled with an apostrophe in ‘’veterans.’’
True. The holiday is not a day that belongs to veterans, which an apostrophe usually indicates. It is a day for honoring all veterans, so no apostrophe is needed.
This year take the time to recognize the veteran(s) in your life and thank them for their service. They deserve it.
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