Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Staff writer
Veterans Day is shaping up to be a busy one as area organizations prepare events and ceremonies to honor the country’s service men and women.
American Legion Post 31 will hold its 68th annual Veterans Day ceremony Tuesday morning at the Memorial Building in Portales.
Post 31 Commander Joe Blair said the ceremony will be held at 10:30 a.m. and will include a speech from Cannon Air Force Base’s Maj. Ahave Brown and a posting of colors by the American Legion’s honor guard.
The ceremony will also include a program honoring service members who were prisoners of war and those missing in action.
“Veterans Day is a day set aside to honor all veterans,” Blair said.
He said Veterans Day often gets confused with Memorial Day, but emphasized that Veterans Day is meant to honor all veterans and active members of the military.
Eastern New Mexico University will hold its second annual Field of Flags ceremony Tuesday morning to honor veterans.
The event will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the university’s DeBaca Park on U.S. 70.
Field of Flags organizer Esthela Banuelos said ENMU has sponsored Veterans Day events for more than 10 years.
Field of Flags will allow those in attendance to honor veterans by placing the names of veterans among the field of flags at the park.
Banuelos said ENMU employee and military spouse Carol Fletcher will speak at Tuesday’s event.
“Such events are the least we can do to show our support and gratitude to active and retired members of the military,” Banuelos said.
The VFW Post 9515 on Main Avenue will honor veterans Tuesday morning with a lunch and guest speaker from Cannon.
The lunch will begin at 11 a.m., according to VFW Judge Advocate Christine Scharle.
Scharle said the VFW Ladies Auxiliary will be helping with the lunch and providing side dishes.
Southside Church of Christ on 18th Street will honor veterans Tuesday morning with a breakfast from 7 a.m. until 9 a.m.
The free breakfast is held to honor veterans, active military, police and firefighters.
Clovis will honor veterans starting Monday and continuing through Nov. 15 with a Veterans Week Parade.
Parade Chairman John Montano said the parade will start at 10 a.m. Saturday and has a “We the People” theme.
Montano said the parade usually includes 30 to 50 floats from veterans organizations, veterans marching units, businesses, community organizations, and children’s organizations.
The deadline to enter a float in the parade is 5 p.m. Thursday, although late entries could be accepted, Montano said.
“The parade is a great way to honor our veterans past, present, and future,” Montano said.
