Veterans Day events planned across North Olympic Peninsula starting Tuesday

Published 12:01 am Monday, November 10, 2014

From a regional celebration in Port Angeles to ceremonies at both ends of the North Olympic Peninsula, veterans and their families will be honored for their service to their country this week.

The public is invited to the Port Angeles Coast Guard station, which has been designated as a regional Veterans Day observance site for the 18th straight year by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

This year, the unit also has been designated a Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemorative Partner.

The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Coast Guard station on Ediz Hook.

Visitors can enter the facility from the front gate at 1 Ediz Hook starting at 9 a.m.

All guests are required to present valid photo identification to gain access to the base.

The guest speaker will be James G. Buck, a retired U.S. Army captain and former state representative from Joyce who served six terms.

Coast Guard Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles will serve as host for the annual Veterans Day ceremony, which is sponsored by the Clallam County Veterans Association.

The veterans association will host a post-ceremony barbecue at the Clallam County Veterans Center at 261 S. Francis St., Port Angeles.

Disabled American Veterans will offer veterans with mobility issues or who lack transportation a ride to the ceremony, Tammy Sullenger, county veterans’ coordinator, said Saturday.

The van will leave the Clallam County Veterans Center at 9:45 a.m. Veterans are asked to meet at the center about 15 minutes before then.

A second van may be available if needed, Sullenger said.

For more information about transportation, or to reserve a seat, call Venay Money at 360-457-5251.

For more information about the ceremony, phone the station’s public affairs office at 360-417-5840.

Shields honored

GARDINER — The heroism of Marvin G. Shields during the Vietnam War will be remembered during a ceremony at the Gardiner Cemetery on Cemetery Road at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Construction Mechanic Shields is the only Navy Seabee to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

He posthumously received the Medal of Honor from President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1967 for saving many lives during a battle in Dong Zoai, South Vietnam, on June 10, 1965.

Shields was 25 years old when he volunteered to take out a Viet Cong machine gun nest.

He fought while wounded, rescued another wounded soldier and kept fighting for hours. Shields later died of a gunshot wound.

Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest (NAVFAC) and the Navy Seabee Veterans Association will conduct the 49th honor ceremony for Shields.

All are welcome to attend.

June 10, 2015, will mark the 50th anniversary of his death. A special remembrance is planned.

Port Townsend observance

PORT TOWNSEND — Veterans Day ceremonies will begin at 11 a.m. at the Marvin G. Shields Memorial Post 26 of the American Legion, 209 Monroe St.

The Port Townsend Summer Band, directed by post member Karl Bach, will present a concert of patriotic music at 10:30 a.m. immediately preceding the ceremonies.

A joint color guard from Post 26, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7498 and the Benevolent & Protective Order of the Elks Lodge 317 will open the ceremonies.

The public is invited to attend.

The featured speaker is Renee Peavey from the Puget Sound Honor Flight, which sends World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit memorials, all expenses paid.

Post 26 members Gunnar Bursos and Bob Yarr took the trip this past year.

A presentation of the Legionnaire of the Year Award will be made during the ceremonies.

The Post 26 auxiliary will offer a potluck luncheon buffet immediately following.

For more information, phone Post Commander Joe Carey at 360-379-1839 or phone the post at 360-385-3454.

Forks VFW event

FORKS — The Forks VFW Post 9106 will conduct a Veterans Day ceremony at the Forks Cemetery at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

The public is invited.

Immediately following, all are welcome to the VFW Hall, 110 S. Spartan Ave., for lunch.

For more information, phone Larry Baysinger at 360-337-3611.

Parks waive fees

Entrance fees for Olympic National Park and state parks will be waived Tuesday in recognition of Veterans Day.

State park visitors will not be required to display a Discover Pass, a $30 annual permit or to pay a one-day fee of $10.

A Discover Pass will be required to access state Department of Fish and Wildlife and state Department of Natural Resources lands.

State parks on the North Olympic Peninsula are Bogachiel near Forks, Dosewallips near Brinnon, Fort Flagler on Marrowstone Island, Fort Townsend and Fort Worden in Port Townsend, Anderson Lake State Park near Chimacum and Sequim Bay near Sequim.

National park visitors will not be required to pay the $15 single-visit fee.

Free days apply only to day use, not overnight stays or rented facilities.

For more information, visit www.parks.wa.gov, www.facebook.com/WashingtonStateParks or www.nps.gov/olym/index.htm.

Other ceremonies and services are planned throughout the Peninsula.

Most are Tuesday, but a few are scheduled for other days.

PORT ANGELES

Free vet haircuts

PORT ANGELES — Several hairstylists at Fringe Hair Studio, 902 E. First St., will offer free haircuts to thank the men and women who have pledged their lives for the nation.

This celebration is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today.

All who have served in the armed forces are invited to come get free haircuts.

If a cut is not needed, a cup of coffee courtesy of Bada Bean! Bada Bloom! will be offered, and attendees can shake hands with fellow veterans.

Veterans potluck

PORT ANGELES — The Fairview Grange, located at 161 Lake Farm Road, plans a veterans and current military members appreciation event at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The event is a potluck, but veterans are not asked to bring food.

A short program will follow the dinner.

The grange welcomes all service members and their families.

For further more information, phone Patti Morris at 360-461-9008.

Lunch for veterans

PORT ANGELES — Laurel Place, 1133 E. Park Ave., invites veterans and their spouses to join in a celebration of service from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.

A free lunch will be served, and awards of community appreciation will be given to community veterans.

In attendance will be Port Angeles High School JROTC, as well as members of the local Military Recruitment Center.

For more information, contact Kristine Lesure at 360-452-7201 or klesure@enlivant.com.

Park View event

PORT ANGELES — Park View Villas, 1430 Park View Lane, will hold a Veterans Day ceremony at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

The event will begin with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the national anthem.

A short Veterans Days speech by veteran Mary Reid will follow.

The ceremony will end with more patriotic songs performed by Sarah Shea.

For more information, phone 360-452-7222.

Spaghetti dinner

PORT ANGELES — The Elks Naval Lodge, 131 E. First St., will host a spaghetti dinner and Veterans Day-themed trivia night Tuesday.

Members, guests and all veterans are welcome to the event in the second-floor lounge.

Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. Veterans will eat for free, while others will be charged $7.50 per person.

Trivia questions are based on veterans, and the game will start at 7 p.m.

For more information, phone 360-457-3355.

SEQUIM

Benefit concert

SEQUIM — Crème Tangerine, a Beatles tribute band, will perform a special concert to benefit the Captain Joseph House Foundation on Tuesday night.

The band will perform at 7 Cedars Casino, 270756 U.S. Highway 101.

Doors open at 6 p.m., with a brief program at 6:45 p.m. Music begins at 7 p.m.

Tickets, a $10 “gift of giving,” are available online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/897408 and at the Totem Rewards Club counter in the casino lobby.

Attendees must be 21 to enter.

All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the foundation.

Captain Joseph House is a nonprofit corporation created to lend support to the families of our country’s fallen military heroes, known as Gold Star families.

7 Cedars will also host a Veterans Day buffet from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday in the Salish Room.

Veterans eat free.

The Captain Joseph House Foundation will staff a table throughout the day to thank veterans for their services and answer questions about Captain Joseph House and its mission.

For more information, visit www.captainjosephhousefoundation.org.

Free at Applebee’s

SEQUIM — Applebee’s at 130 River Road invites veterans and active-duty military to a free meal Tuesday.

Between 10 a.m. and midnight, veterans and active-duty military, with proof of military service, can order free meals.

A special menu has been designated.

For more information, phone Shelly Allen at 360-683-9090.

Great Clips cuts

SEQUIM — Great Clips, 680 W. Washington St., will offer veterans a free haircut between Tuesday and Dec. 31.

Customers can come in for service on Veterans Day (Tuesday) and get a free haircut card to give to a veteran, redeemable through the end of this year. Cards are limited to one per customer.

The free haircut cards are redeemable by veterans at any U.S. Great Clips with proof of service.

The promotion applies to veterans only.

For more information, phone 360-681-8767.

FORKS

Forks schools

FORKS — Forks schools will hold a Veterans Day assembly in the high school gym, 261 Spartan Ave., at 2 p.m. today.

All past and present veterans and the public are welcome to attend.

The Coast Guard will provide a Color Guard.

Songs and poetry are planned.

For more information, phone the Quillayute Valley School District at 360-374-6262.

CLALLAM BAY/SEKIU

Lions dinner

CLALLAM BAY — The Clallam Bay/Sekiu Lions will host their annual Veterans Day dinner for veterans and their partners at the Lions Den, 90 Bogachiel St., on Tuesday.

Visiting will start at 5:30 p.m., and a free dinner will be served at 6 p.m.

The menu is pot roast, vegetables, potatoes and gravy, dessert and beverages.

Veterans are invited to bring memorabilia.

Time will be made for sharing and discussions.