Gazette file photo Local veterans participated in a Veterans Day program at Baraga High School in this Gazette file photo. There are Veteran's Day programs at several local schools tomorrow.

HOUGHTON COUNTY — Tomorrow the country will observe Veterans Day, honoring the men and women who have served, and who are serving, in the military. There are many local schools and organizations that have invited veterans to events and lunches to thank them for their service to the country.

Local schools will host several programs throughout the day. Hancock Public Schools is hosting a Veterans Day ceremony in the High School Gymnasium at 11 a.m. which will be followed with a lunch to which all veterans and active military personnel are invited. Chassell Township Schools will host a program at 10 a.m. which is open to all veterans and their family members.

Calumet Public Schools will host a 45 minute program at 2:30 p.m. in the main gymnasium. First Sergeant and Junior ROTC Calumet High School Instructor Mark Powell said special recognition will be given to POWs and MIA military personnel. The CLK Junior ROTC cadets will showcase the skills they’ve acquired while in the program.

“I think it’s important to always recognize the sacrifice that all veterans have made, and it’s really important to not forget that,” Powell said. “The way that we do that is, obviously, we want to educate and then show our appreciation for all the veterans. So we do that [through] this program, educating our kids, preparing them and letting them understand why it’s important [while] letting them be a part of that process.”

The Calumet Junior ROTC cadets will also assist in a dinner hosted by VFW Post 3900 at 5 p.m. at the Michigan National Guard Readiness Center. Tickets to the dinner must be purchased in advance by calling 906-337-1981 or by visiting the post’s website vfw3900.org.

The Houghton-Portage Township Schools (H-PT) will host a Veterans Day program in the high school gymnasium at 11:11 a.m., a time symbolic of the Armistice from WWI (“The 11th, hour of the 11th day of the 11th month”). The program will be a coordinated effort by the Houghton High School Junior ROTC and the high school band and choir. Col. (Ret.) and Senior Army Instructor for the Houghton High School Junior ROTC Program Dylan Carlson said this event is important to instill an understanding into the students the appreciation of those who have come before them that have made sacrifices to make the country better with the benefits and advantages it provides.

“We think that it’s important to demonstrate that to the students and get that understanding started early,” Carlson said. “We also think it’s important to open it up to the public, so the public can understand that the school is demonstrating those values of appreciation of the selfless service of others. We have a lot of veterans in this community, and I think it’s important for them to see the new generation still understands that there are those that have sacrificed a lot for our country and we want to demonstrate publicly that we celebrate that service.”

The school has collected pictures of alumni, faculty and student family members who are veterans which will be shown on monitors throughout the school. The ceremony will begin with a speech from the guest speaker, Houghton Police Chief John Donnelly, a Marine Corps veteran. A flag folding demonstration and rifle drill demonstration will occur along with other speeches and readings of short essays about students’ veteran family members. The ceremony will last an hour, and afterwards the Junior ROTC cadets will be sent out for community service. Some cadets will go to assist Applebees, which is offering free select entrees for veterans. Other Junior ROTC cadets will go to another ceremony at the Bluffs Senior Community.

Copper Island Academy (CIA) is offering a free lunch to veterans at noon, though veterans need to contact the school ahead of time in order to have the appropriate amount of meals available. CIA is offering a meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, vegetables and pumpkin pie to have while seated with the students. CIA Middle School Social Studies teacher Kevin Boyd is an Army veteran with 32 years of military experience. He said CIA holds this luncheon to demonstrate one of the school’s core principles, which is patriotism.

“Our school was founded on basically civic virtue and community engagement, and getting the students connected with the community,” Boyd said. “Our community is a small community up here in the U.P., but we’re part of the larger community [as the] overall part of the larger American community and experience. It’s about teaching the students about service, about sacrifice and about being members of the community. Some of them may one day want to become a veteran.”

Boyd said he would like veterans to know they can be a part of the CIA community no matter when or where they served, and there are already reservations made by veterans of all military branches. Boyd said veteran presence invests in the future by sharing what they have done in service to the country.

CIA students have also written cards being sent out to military personnel. The school band will be playing the Star Spangled Banner and the school choir will sing America the Beautiful.

Miner Cafe in Calumet will also be honoring veterans tomorrow during business hours and the AmericInn in Calumet will host a Free Sunrise Pancake Special 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The free breakfast at AmericInn is available to veterans and one immediate family member.