Baldwin County will offer no shortage of ways to honor those who have served in uniform when Veterans Day arrives on Tuesday, Nov. 11. From parades to solemn wreath-laying ceremonies, communities across the county have planned a full slate of events open to the public.
In north Baldwin, the day begins with a city-sponsored breakfast at 8 a.m. at the John F. Rhodes Civic Center in Bay Minette. The meal is free and open to everyone. Mayor Bob Wills is set to deliver opening remarks, with Val Obregon, state commander for the Department of Veterans of Foreign Wars, serving as guest speaker.
A parade follows at 10:15 a.m., stepping off from Bay Minette Intermediate School and winding to the Eternal Flame on Courthouse Square. Gerald Davidson will serve as grand marshal. Once the procession arrives, a program is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the square.
The observances continue at noon with a ceremony at the Korean War Memorial monument on the front lawn of the Bay Minette Public Library, keeping the focus on those who served in that often-overlooked conflict.
At 2 p.m., the William F. Green State Veterans Home hosts its annual ceremony under the front portico of the facility at 300 Faulkner Drive in Bay Minette. The keynote speaker is retired U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Mordecai “Mawk” Arnold, a veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Arnold has been recognized as Mobile’s 2013 Veteran of the Year and Fairhope’s 2012 Veteran of the Year.
The veterans home program will feature an invocation by resident Eugene Townson, the Pledge of Allegiance led by the Little Tigers Pre-K and the National Anthem performed by the Daphne Middle School Choir. The ceremony will also include the presentation of pins and certificates to the residents who served.
Events like these have long anchored the county’s civic calendar, drawing families, students and local officials together to recognize the sacrifices of past and present service members. Organizers encourage residents to attend, take part and thank the veterans in their own communities.
With activities spread across Bay Minette and beyond, Baldwin County residents will have ample opportunity to pause and pay tribute on a day set aside to honor the men and women who have worn the nation’s uniform.