Avoyelles honors its veterans in the coming week

Avoyelles Parish will honor its veterans with services, ceremonies and programs beginning this Thursday.

Veterans Day, Nov. 11, is next Sunday, but there will be programs through Monday (Nov. 12) in Avoyelles.

This year is the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I on Nov. 11, 1918.

Events in Avoyelles include:

THURSDAY, NOV. 8

5:30 p.m. in Cottonport - The Town of Cottonport will sponsor a candlelight vigil for veterans at the cross on Bayou Rouge. The event will feature speakers, singing and a ceremonial burning of old U.S. flags. For more info, call (318) 876-3485.

SATURDAY, NOV. 10

9 a.m. in Fifth Ward - The Fifth Ward Veterans Memorial will be rededicated in ceremonies sponsored by the Fifth Ward Knights of Columbus. Refreshments will be provided by Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church Altar Society. Work was recently completed to restore the memorial’s foundation and to improve landscaping at the site. As part of the Veterans Day ceremony, more names of local veterans will be added to the memorial.

SUNDAY, NOV. 11

10:30 a.m. in Plaucheville - The Village of Plaucheville will host a program at its Veterans Monument, at 361 La. Hwy 107, following the 9:30 a.m. Mass at Mater Dolorosa Church. For more information, call (318) 876-2712.

3 p.m. at Mansura Walking Track - The Town of Mansura will hold a Veterans Day program at 3 p.m. with Sgt. Shawn Wilson as guest speaker. For more information call (318)964-2152.

4 p.m. in Effie - The Ward One Community Foundation will host a ceremony at the Ward One Veterans Memorial Walkway on La. Hwy 107 near Effie Grocery. Veterans and the general public are invited to attend. For more info call (318) 613-2274.

5 p.m. at Avoyelles Parish Veterans Monument, Mansura- “A Day to Honor Our Veterans” program will be held from 5-7 p.m. at the main branch of Cottonport Bank in Mansura on Hwy 1.
Scott Coco will emcee the event. Cub Scout Pack 94 will raise the flag and lead the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Victory Belles will once again perform World War II-era hits in the style of the Andrews Sisters and other WWII entertainers. The three-woman singing group comes from the World War II Museum in New Orleans.

The only act that can possibly follow the boogie-woogie beat of the Belles is a fireworks display -- which is exactly what the bank has scheduled.

The Cottonport Bank event, which focuses on celebrating veterans for their sacrifice, has become one of the most anticipated events of the year.

For more information call 964-2161.

MONDAY, NOV. 12
10 a.m. at Avoyelles Veterans Memorial, Marksville - The annual Veterans Day program sponsored by the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe, Paragon Casino Resort and the veterans organizations in Avoyelles will be held. In case of bad weather, the event will be in the casino’s Grand Hall. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.
The Avoyelles Parish Honor Guard will fire a 21-gun salute in honor of veterans. A reception will immediately follow the ceremony.

All veterans and active military personnel can receive a voucher for free breakfast or lunch at Market Place Buffet on Veterans Day by showing a valid military ID card at the Preferred Players Club. Limit one per person.

11 a.m. in Bunkie - A ceremony will be held at the Bunkie Veterans Memorial next to the train depot. Refreshments will be served. Retired U.S. Army Col. Charles Jones, a Vietnam War combat veteran, will be guest speaker. For more information call (318) 346-7663.

11:30 a.m. in Marksville - The Marksville Prevot Johnson American Legion Auxiliary Unit 130 will hold a Veterans Day serevice at Edgar Park in Marksville. Guest speaker will be Naomi Lamartiniere, Cenla Honor Guard bugler and American Legion member. Refreshments will be served.

Applications are continuously open for names to be engraved on the military monuments on display at the park. For more information or to add a name to the monument, contact Charlene Beauclair at 253-6458.