Ceremonies scheduled to honor veterans this week

Avoyelles Parish will honor its veterans with services, ceremonies and programs  on Thursday, November 10; Veterans Day, Friday, November 11; and Sunday, November 13. Scheduled events include:

 

  6 p.m. in Cottonport- A candlelight vigil for veterans in the town of Cottonport, located along the beautiful scenic route by the cross on Bayou Rouge. There will be great speakers, singing, flag burning of old American flags, a lantern launch, and a special portrait donated by Raymond Laborde Correctional Center will be unveiled at the foot of the cross. For more information call (318) 876-3485.

 

  8 a.m. in Mansura- The town of Mansura will honor the brave men and women for their courageous effort to support and protect the country in a program at 8 a.m. Friday at the Cochon de Lait building in Mansura. Guest speaker will be Jeffery Bordelon.  The Avoyelles High School band under direction of Ann Lemoine will perform. For more information, call the Mansura Town Hall at (318) 964-2152.

  9 a.m. in Fifth Ward- A service will be presented at the Fifth Ward Veterans Memorial on La. Hwy 1 near Kramer Funeral Home. The service of past and present veterans of Belledeau, Echo, Fifth Ward and Moncla will be remembered. For more information call Pat Guillot at 253-8919.

 10 a.m. at Avoyelles Veterans Monument, Marksville- Officials of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana and veterans organizations throughout Central Louisiana will commemorate Veterans Day with a special ceremony at the Avoyelles Veterans Memorial on La. Hwy 1 near Paragon Casino Resort.  The ceremony, open to veterans, their families and the general public, will include a 21-gun salute performed by the Avoyelles Parish Honor Guard.

   “For over a decade, the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana has shown its support for our military by honoring veterans from throughout Louisiana,” Tunica-Biloxi Tribal Chairman Joey P. Barbry said. “The Avoyelles Veterans Monument is a tribute to those men and women who made sacrifices for our freedom. This ceremony keeps alive the memory of our fallen soldiers.”  

   A reception will follow the ceremony. In case of rain, it will be moved inside the Earl J. Barbry Sr. Convention Center.  

   All active and retired military with proper military ID will receive a free lunch at the Paragon Market Place Buffet. 

For more information, call 800-946-1946 ext. 2047.

  11 a.m. in Marksville- The American Legion Auxiliary, Prevot Johnson Unit 130, will present a Veterans Day Program at the Veterans Monument in Edgar’s Park in Marksville, beginning at 11 a.m.  The Auxiliary will be assisted by members of the St. Joseph Catholic Church Altar Society and the local chapter of the Catholic Daughters of America. Application forms are available if a family wishes to have the name of a veteran etched on the ledgers in the park. Call Betty Bize at 253-7028 or Eleanor Gremillion at 253-9222 to obtain a form. The Honor Guard of American Legion Post 130 will render “Taps” to close the program. The public is invited to attend. Refreshments will be served.

  12 noon in Bunkie- A ceremony will be held at the Bunkie Veterans Memorial next to the Bunkie Train Depot. Refreshments and hot dogs will be served. Guest speaker will be Robert “Sonny” Harris, a World War II veteran. For more information call (318) 346-7663.

  4:30 p.m. in Effie- The Ward One Community Foundation will host a reception from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Ward One Walking Trail and Veterans Memorial on La. Hwy 107 near Effie Grocery. All veterans and the public are invited. For more information call (318) 613-2274. The Avoyelles Parish Honor Guard will be present.

  5 p.m. at Avoyelles Parish Veterans Monument, Mansura- The Cottonport Bank is sponsoring its annual Veterans Day event at the Avoyelles Parish Veterans Monument on La. Hwy 1, in front of its Mansura branch.  

   The three-member Victory Belles singing/dancing  group from the WWII Museum in New Orleans will once again perform for the community event. There will be speeches and a miliary display to honor the parish’s veterans.

   “We welcome everyone to join us in celebrating our veterans at this free event,” a bank spokesperson said. A display honoring WWII vets of Avoyelles opens.

For more information call (318) 964-2161.

 

  10:30 a.m. in Plaucheville - The Village of Plaucheville will host a program at the Plaucheville Veterans Monument, on 361 La. Hwy 107 after a 9:30 a.m. Mass at Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church. For more information call (318) 876-2712.