MARYSVILLE — Area veterans and civilians alike will have opportunities to honor and socialize with past and present military members in the Marysville and Arlington communities, courtesy of the American Legion.
The members of Marysville American Legion Post 178 are inviting the general public to their Legion Hall, located at 119 Cedar Ave., for an open house from noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 11, which will include a free lunch for all attendees from noon to 2 p.m.
“We’ll have hamburgers, hot dogs, chili, chips, coffee and soda, all for free,” said Ray Patterson, financial officer for Post 178. “Our Legion Post is conducting this with the support of our Ladies Auxiliary and Bob Rawe, one of our members who founded the ‘Take a Vet to Lunch’ program. Our members will also be providing a pot-luck dessert, along with green salad and fruit salad.”
Patterson noted that Rawe planned to conduct a flag show for the open house, and added that Post 178 Cmdr. Ken Cage also hoped to have other activities scheduled for the event.
The members of Arlington American Legion Post 76 will be lining up entrants at 10 a.m. Nov. 11 for their veterans’ parade starting at 11 a.m.
“We always have the truck with the World War II and other older veterans, but every era of veterans is represented in our parade,” said Vickie Bailey, president of the Post 76 Ladies Auxiliary. “We have Vietnam veterans who march in the parade too.”
As in previous years, the parade will proceed south on Olympic Avenue and conclude in time for the 1 p.m. dinner at the Post 76 Legion Lounge, located at 115 N. Olympic Ave.
“Veterans eat for free, and members of the general public pay $5,” Bailey said, before laughing, “We like to keep it simple.”
Bailey explained that, during the dinner, a number of older veterans will be honored, some of whom have been Legion members for 50 years or more, and that the traditional ceremony honoring missing-in-action military members will once again be conducted.
“The dinner is free to all veterans, whether they’re Legion members or not,” said Bailey, who also manages the Post Lounge. “It’s also one of the few days that members of the general public can hang out in our Lounge.”
