Honor veterans at these Monday, Nov. 11 events

Published 6:00 pm Sunday, November 10, 2024

Veterans Day events are scheduled throughout the region on Monday, Nov. 11, to honor those who served, including the biggest parade in Portland in many years and ceremonies with flag raisings and speakers. 

Here is a list of some of the larger events by city:

Portland: The annual Portland Veterans Day Parade returns for the second year after the Covid-19 pandemic on Nov. 11 with the most recent participants and a Resource Fair featuring veterans-related organizations. It will begin at 10 a.m. at Northeast Emerson and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and end at the Walnut Park complex parking lot, where the fair will be held. Dozens of schools, organizations, and special guests are scheduled to march in the parade, including: the McDaniel High School Drumline; the Robert Gray Middle School Band; Scouting America Troop 117 and 5117; Cub Scout Pack 351; Easterseals Oregon; Daimler Truck North America; Portland Fire & Rescue; Multnomah County Veteran Services; the Salvation Army Cascade Division; the Military Vehicle Collectors Club of Oregon; TriMet and others. More information is available at veteransdayportland.org.

Beaverton: American Legion Beaverton Post 124 will host its annual Veterans Day celebration at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 at Southwest Bible Church, 14605 S.W. Weir Rd. The American Legion is the largest U.S. veteran’s organization with more than 1.6 million members with nearly 3,000 accredited service officers worldwide who assist veterans with their benefits claims and other concerns. “Veterans Day commemorates the service of all living U.S. veterans. Our celebration will include Veteran speakers, patriotism and community support,” the Beaverton American Legion announced.

Scappoose: Veterans will be honored with two events in Scappoose on Nov. 11. The first will be held by the Scappoose Veterans of Foreign Wars Post from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 11 at Veteran’s Park, 52590 Captain Roger Kucera Way. After that, the Scappoose Garden Club will unveil and dedicate its Blue Star Memorial Marker at noon at the Veterans Memorial in Heritage Park, 52469 S.E. 2nd St., next to Scappoose City Hall. Highway 30, which runs next to Heritage Park, is designated a Blue Star-Gold Star Marker Highway. The Blue Star Marker program is to honor all men and women currently serving in the United States armed services Gold Star markers honor those who have died serving the United States.

Sherwood: The city of Sherwood is hosting a Veterans Day Recognition Brunch from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 11 at the Sherwood Center for the Arts, 22689 S.W. Pine St. Mayor Tim Rosener, an U.S. Air Force veteran, will make brief opening remarks as well. While the presentation is free and open to the public, those attending are asked to RSVP to ensure there is enough food for veterans and their families at tinyurl.com/5b7w82v4.

St. Helens: The annual Veterans Day program will begin shortly before 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 at the VFW Post 1440 Veterans Memorial at McCormick Park, 475 S. 18th St. “There is an opening greeting before the lowering of the flag, with a Pledge of Allegiance,” said Gene Hester, judge advocate for Post 1440, who served in Vietnam as a U.S. Army pathfinder in 1968 and 1969, said.

Tigard: The city of Tigard is hosting a Veterans Day flag-raising at 8 a.m. on Nov. 11 outside the Tigard Public Library, 13500 S.W. Hall Blvd. The ceremony will be headlined by the Tigard Police Department color guard and a local Cub Scout pack. Doughnuts, coffee and cocoa will be available for attendees of the free event.

Wilsonville: A ceremony will honor those who served their country at 10 a.m. on Nov. 11 at the Oregon Korean War Memorial in Town Center Park, 29600 Park Pl. Mayor Julie Fitzgerald will speak at the event, as well as the new Honorary Consul for the Republic of Korea, Dr. Edward Kimmi.

In addition, the Madras VFW Post will host its annual Veterans Day program at 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 11 at the Jefferson County Community Center, 107 N. Main St., Jefferson. Afterwards, attendees are encouraged to go outside, visit the Veterans Healing Memorial, and check in with a member about placing an order for a memorial brick. The annual Veterans Day parade will then start at 2 p.m. and go around Sahalee Park, 1-99 SE 7th Street.

The following week, a Lake Oswego author will talk about her memoir “Little Avalanches,” a book about her World War II veteran father and the trauma they shared as a result of his experiences. Becky Ellis will discuss her book 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, at the Garden Home Library, 7475 S.W. Oleson Road. It examines the life of her father, Louis Boswell, who would not discuss the horrors of his World War II experience until 70 years after the event. “Little Avalanches,” published by Regalo Press, was the winner of the Rubery Book Award for 2024 Nonfiction Book of the Year.

The Carpenter Media Group has also honored veterans with the publication of its annual Salute to Veterans that can be found at portlandtribune.com/special_sections/salute_to_veterans.