(Chelsea Update would like to thank Sharon Kegerreis for the information in this story.)
All Veterans and the community are invited to a special tribute event and free Veterans lunch on Nov. 11 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. inside the Chelsea Senior Center.
This year’s event will be hosted by Chelsea Senior Center, City of Chelsea and Chelsea School District at the Washington Street Education Center to improve access and provide a comfortable setting for everyone attending this special gathering.
The Veterans Day Community Tribute features the American Legion Post 31 and Veterans Honor Guard of Washtenaw County. There will be a presentation of colors, a flag folding ceremony, musical performances and presentations. This is an opportunity to honor, remember, mourn and learn about our nation’s history and the brave Veterans who have defended our nation.
“We are excited to bring all of the event activities under one roof this year at the Washington Street Education Center. The hope is to make it easier for our older seniors and families to participate and for everyone to sit down for a shared community meal,” said Mayor Jane Pacheco.
The free lunch is available to Veterans, their families and all community members. Reservations are required by Nov. 7. There is a 200-person capacity for the lunch, which will be served at noon. To RSVP, please contact Chelsea Senior Center at (734) 475-9242. All tribute activities will be at 512 Washington Street in Chelsea.
The Veterans Day Community Tribute will feature Beach Middle School student essayists and musical performances by Chelsea High School Chamber and Concert choirs and Wind Symphony.
Last year, Beach Middle School (BMS) students invited Veterans to a panel to share stories with them on an October morning. This was prompted by an established “Generations Interviews” program between Chelsea Senior Center and BMS.
Reflecting on last year’s Veterans tribute program success, BMS sixth-grade English and Math Teacher Amy Doma said, “The mutual empathy fostered in just one day of connection was wonderful. There was something powerful that happened when the Veterans shared their stories. Our Veterans imparted wisdom that comes with age and experience, and our sixth graders were eager to listen. Everyone was engaged, thoughtful and truly interested.”
This year, middle schoolers will learn about the history of Veterans Day in Global Studies classes leading up to November 11. Veterans who participated in the panel last year are returning to this year’s panel on Oct. 24 at BMS. After the panel discussion, BMS students will write letters thanking the Veterans for their service while in their English classes led by Amy Doma, Cristian Garcia and Ryann Skrypec.
The top 15 attentive letters will be submitted to Chelsea Senior Center’s Writers’ Group. In turn, they will select their three favorites that commemorate the Veterans’ stories. These letters will be read by the students at the November 11 Veterans Day Community Tribute.
The Veterans Day Community Tribute is a special opportunity for the community to come together to honor Veterans and their service to our country. This event is hosted by Chelsea Senior Center, City of Chelsea and Chelsea School District with support from Chelsea District Library, Chelsea School District, Material Girls of First United Methodist Church and Silver Maples of Chelsea.
Chelsea Senior Center (CSC) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization in Chelsea, Michigan. Its mission is to enhance the quality of life and well-being for area seniors and their families. Chelsea Senior Center is located at 512 Washington St.
