Veterans Day In Lakeville: How To Honor Military Personnel

LAKEVILLE, MN — The post office and most banks will be closed in Lakeville on Thursday in observance of Veterans Day, a federal holiday that honors veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

Veterans Day, commemorated annually on Nov. 11, was first celebrated in 1919 to honor those who fought in World War I. It was initially called Armistice Day and was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

The holiday’s origin is tied to the armistice, a temporary end of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany, signed in France on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.

It became Veterans Day in 1954, shortly following the end of the Korean War and less than a decade after World War II after various veterans service organizations urged Congress to encompass veterans of all wars in their honor.

Events near Lakeville

• The State of Minnesota will host its annual Veterans Day Program virtually. Find out more here.
• The Maple Grove Yellow Ribbon Network is hosting a Veterans Day Ceremony at 9 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial on Maple Grove Central Park.
• Cadets of the West Point Glee Club will travel to Minnesota and perform on Veterans Day at the Mall of America rotunda.
• The Stillwater Veterans Memorial is set to host a Veterans Day ceremony Thursday to honor all who have served in the U.S. armed forces. The 40-minute ceremony is scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at the memorial, 138 Pine St. West.
• Residents can honor those buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetary by donating remembrance wreaths for their graves.

Discounts

Restaurants and other businesses will also show their appreciation for veterans and active military members.

Applebee’s, Bob Evans, and Chili’s Grill and Bar are among the national restaurant chains offering free or discounted meals for veterans on Nov. 11, and 7-Eleven is offering a free cup of coffee or Big Gulp.

Other places, such as Golden Corral and Eat'n Park, have offers extended throughout November.

Veterans Day is somewhat related to, and sometimes mistaken for, Memorial Day, the federal holiday on the final Monday of May that is dedicated to those who have died while serving the United States.