VALLEY — Veterans Day is Sunday, November 11. Because the holiday falls on Sunday, the annual parades in Alamosa and Monte Vista will be held on Saturday, Nov. 10. However, the Colorado Veterans Community Living Center at Homelake will hold a special program and social on Sunday, Veterans Day.

Special concerts are also planned this weekend in Alamosa, Monte Vista and Creede.

A special banquet with guest speaker is also planned Saturday evening at Adams State.

Following are special programs planned during this Veterans Day weekend in the San Luis Valley:

PARADES

ALAMOSA — Alamosa will host the annual Veterans Day parade on Saturday, Nov. 10, at 10:45 a.m. down Main Street.

Parade entrants are asked to line up between 9:30 and 10 a.m. Please contact American Legion Commander Donna Gates at 719-580-5083 or Jack Rudder at 719-588-9838 for information or to enter the parade.

Also, churches and others with bells are asked to toll them at 11 a.m. on November 11, which will mark the 100th anniversary of the ending of WW I when the firing ceased. Veterans are asking all churches that have bells to toll them 21 times at 11 a.m. to honor all those who fought and died in WWI. The Alamosa post is named for two men that died in France in 1918.

MONTE VISTA — Veterans Parade & Tribute will be held on Saturday, November 10, at 10 a.m. in Monte Vista.

The parade will start at Stars & Strikes Bowling Alley and go west on Second to Adams Street where it will travel south to Third Street. The route turns right at Third Street and continues west to Dennis Street. The route will then turn right on Dennis and head north to Second Street where it will turn right and end at the Faith Hinkley Veterans Memorial Park. The tribute will take place at the park immediately following the parade.

CONCERTS

ALAMOSA — The SLV Big Band will perform a free Veterans Day Concert on Saturday, November 10, at 7 p.m. in Richardson Auditorium on the ASU campus. The concert is free and open to the public.

Veterans are particularly invited to be recognized and honored.

In honor of Veterans Day, the concert will include a combination of patriotic numbers and also a number of big-band arrangements of nostalgic songs that can be associated with each of America’s military conflicts beginning with WWII. There will also be a medley of Armed Forces songs in which all veterans of the Coast Guard, Army, Air Force, Marines, and Navy will be asked to stand and be recognized for their service. 

Dr. Kerry Hart, director of the SLV Big Band said, “In addition to some of the traditional patriotic numbers, there will be new songs performed this year with added authenticity. This includes some female vocalists on several numbers such as Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree, Beyond the Sea, and a sing along with the audience on America the Beautiful.” 

MONTE VISTA — The Monte Vista Community Fund will host a Veterans Benefit Concert from 6:30-8 p.m. on Sunday, November 11 in Central Auditorium, 545 Second Ave., Monte Vista. Performances will feature the SLV Big Band and Monte Vista High School Band.

Proceeds will go to the Faith Hinkley Veterans Memorial Park. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at the Monte Vista High School, The Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce or at Absolute Shine Auto Body and Paint.

CREEDE—On Monday, Nov. 12, the local VFW chapter along with the Creede Community Choir will have a special service honoring local veterans in Basham Park (downtown Creede) at 11 a.m.

CELEBRATIONS

MONTE VISTA — Colorado Veterans Community Living Center at Homelake invites all veterans and their families to its Veterans Day Program and Social on November 11. The annual “Honor our Veterans” event will take place from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. at 3749 Sherman Ave., Monte Vista in the dining room.

Please plan to attend the program and social. Those who are unable to attend please know the staff and residents of Homelake thank you and your families for your service and sacrifice for our country.

If you have questions please contact Pam or Melanie at 852-5118. 

CREEDE— On Tuesday, Nov. 13, Creede School will host a celebration and breakfast for local veterans and their families at 9 a.m. Call Creede School at 658-2220.

ALAMOSA — The Adams State University Veterans at Adams Club will host a Veteran’s Day Celebration Banquet from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 10, at the Alamosa Readiness Center Bldg. 1877, located on Old Sanford Road in Alamosa. The guest speaker is Travis Weiner. For tickets or more information contact the Veterans Center at 719-587-8452 or [email protected]. Tickets are $15 for Adams State AS&F members and $20 for community.

Weiner served in the Army 101st Airborne Division, 502nd Infantry regiment from 2004 to 2009, which included two tours to Iraq.

Weiner was also instrumental in getting a law passed that made military credit count as college credit in the state of Colorado.