Veterans Day events in the Kansas City area

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A variety of special activities are set for Sunday and Monday in the Kansas City area to celebrate Veterans Day.

The National World War I Museum at Liberty Memorial will host a special ceremony at 10 a.m. Sunday in the museum's J.C. Nichols Auditorium. The event includes performances by the American Legion Band and speeches from dignitaries. The keynote speaker will be Major Terry McDonald of the Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers, who is currently a student at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kan. McDonald has been commended for his service in Afghanistan and Sudan. The ceremony concludes at 11 a.m. with the laying of a wreath.
Free parking is available at the Hallmark surface lot at 27th Street and Warwick Boulevard, with a complimentary shuttle to the museum. The museum will be free to all visitors from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Veterans Day.

U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder of Kansas’ 3rd District will attend several local Veterans Day events Sunday and Monday.
Congressman Yoder will attend the VVA Chapter #317 Vietnam Veterans Day Ceremony at 11:45 a.m. Sunday at the Vietnam Memorial Fountain at 43rd Street and Broadway.
He will also attend the city of Shawnee Veterans' Day Event at 4 p.m. Sunday at Shawnee Veterans' Memorial Park, Johnson Drive and Pflumm Road.

Then on Monday, Nov. 12, Rep. Yoder will attend the dedication of a bench to the memory of Olathe, Kan., native Cale Miller, an Army private who died in June in Afghanistan when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

The Harry S Truman Library and Museum in Independence, Mo., will host several events and activities honoring America's veterans Sunday.
They include:

• 12- 4 p.m. -- "Kids Help Our Heroes -- Make a Get-Well Card for a Veteran"
• 1 p.m. -- Children's story time.
• 2 p.m. -- Patriotic Concert.
• 2:30 p.m. -- "The Honorable Ike Skelton Veterans Day Ceremony,” with Ida McBeth singing the national anthem, remarks by former Missouri 4th District U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton and a keynote address by Major General Robert H. Scales.
• 4 p.m. -- Courtyard Ceremony. Ceremonial Wreath Laying followed by a 21-gun salute and taps
• 4:15-5 p.m. -- Public reception to honor veterans.
• All Veterans Day activities are free to the public. In addition, veterans and active-duty military members with a valid I.D. will be admitted to the library free from noon to 5 p.m.

As a service project to earn his Eagle Scout award, Mason Morris of Marshall, Mo., has been working to complete a “Memorial Flag Garden” at Indian Foothill Park in his hometown. It is designed to serve as the burial place for ashes after American flags are retired and burned. Morris plans to dedicate and bury the first flags at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11. The local VFW and Knights of Columbus will provide an honor guard.

Veterans, family members and friends are invited to attend a flag-raising ceremony and tribute at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Veterans Memorial at Resurrection Cemetery, 83rd Street and Quivira Road, Lenexa, Kan. An American Legion band will play a patriotic prelude at 1:30 p.m. The tribute will be given by Chaplain Lieutenant Colonel James E. Ludwikoski, pastor of Good Shepherd Parish in Shawnee, Kan.

The city of Shawnee celebrates Veterans Day at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Shawnee Veterans' Memorial Park, Johnson Drive and Pflumm Road. The event is sponsored by the city, VFW Post 10552, American Legion Post 327, the Shawnee Knights of Columbus, Kansas City Squadron 34 of the Civil Air Patrol and the Monticello Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. Johnson County Commissioner Jim Allen will give the keynote address, focusing on the men and women who served during the Vietnam War. Refreshments will be served, and a reception will follow at Johnny's Tavern, 13410 W. 62nd Terr.

The final scheduled event of Sunday takes place at 6:30 p.m. at the City Union Mission Men's Emergency Center, 1108 E. 10th St. C.U.M. will honor vets who are guests and residents of its shelters and recovery programs. Veterans may enjoy a chapel service hosted by members of Blue Ridge Bible Church, who will also perform special choir music. The service will be followed by an evening meal provided and served by employees of biz2biz connect.

Activities on Monday, Nov. 12, get under way early; with all area Hy-Vee grocery stores that serve hot food offering a free breakfast to local vets between 7 and 11 a.m. Hy-Vee expects to serve more than 80,000 veterans and their guests at more than 200 stores in eight states. Check with local stores for details.

Kansas City, Kan., Community College will celebrate Veterans Day with two programs on Monday, Nov. 12. The third annual "Veterans Speak Program" takes place from 9 to 10 a.m. A panel of U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force veterans from recent conflicts will discuss their experiences. The panel will be followed at 10 a.m. by a screening of the documentary film "American GI Forum." Both programs are presented