Honoring veterans

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Several area entities will offer Veterans Day observances on Saturday, Nov. 11. They include:

Rusk. The Cherokee County’s annual Veterans Day ceremony begins at 11 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial on Square in Rusk. Planned are a guest speaker, patriotic music and an honorary rifle volley salute.

Jacksonville. The ninth annual Veterans Patriotic Pathway Celebration starts at 11:30 a.m. at Buckner Park, 119 Newberry St. in Jacksonville. A local veteran will be honored during the event, with Joe Martinez, the grandson of a Comanche Code Talker Tech, presenting this year’s speech. Also present will be members of the local Marine Corps League, Patriot Guard Riders, local Cub Scouts and others. The event is hosted by the Jacksonville Garden Club.

Bullard. The American Freedom Museum will honor veterans with a noon ceremony at the museum plaza, then offer free public admission to the 1051 N. Houston St. museum from 1-3 p.m. The celebration is co-hosted by the Tyler Chamber of Commerce Veterans Committee, the Military Officers Association of America Rose Capital Chapter, and several other local organizations. The museum is located on the campus of The Brook Hill School in Bullard.

Cherokee County. Elijah’s Retreat will honor all veterans during its fifth annual Fall Festival held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at its at 257 County Road 3110 site outside Jacksonville. A special Veterans Day program is planned, with a free barbecue meal for every veteran. For more information, call 630-8774 or visit www.elijahsretreat.com/fall-festival

Meanwhile, several government entities will be closed in observation of the federal holiday:

• Friday, Nov. 10 closures include government offices in Rusk, Alto, Wells, Troup and Jacksonville, along with Cherokee County offices, officials said. The local exception is Reklaw, with city officials confirming their offices will be open on Friday.

• USPS Post Offices will be closed Saturday, with no regular mail or package deliveries on that day.

Ed. note: The Cherokeean has published a special 6-page Veterans' section in our Nov. 8, 2023, edition