Happy Veterans Day!
Veterans Day is an important holiday worth observing, whether you have served in our military, or know someone who has. This important day is a national holiday held on November 11th in the United States to honor those who have served in our armed forces. The Lake West Chamber of Commerce knows the importance of this holiday and would like to share some interesting facts surrounding this day.
CONFUSION ABOUT THE HOLIDAY
Often confused with Memorial Day, which is a holiday to remember and honor those who gave their lives for our country, Veterans Day is the time to recognize all veterans, both living and deceased. If you notice that there is no apostrophe in Veterans Day, that is because it is a day that belongs to honoring all veterans.
HOW THE HOLIDAY GOT ITS NAME
On November 11, 1919, then President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed this day to be "Armistice Day" as it marked the end of World War I a year earlier, and was later declared an official holiday in 1938. The holiday was later changed to Veterans Day by then President Dwight D. Eisenhower to acknowledge veterans who had served prior to and after the First World War.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DATE
In 1968, Congress signed the Uniform Holiday Bill to ensure that select federal holidays, Veterans Day included, would be celebrated on a Monday, hoping for family travel and activities over a 3-day weekend. Therefore, for a short time, Veterans Day was observed on the fourth Monday of October. After raising some confusion and unease, President Gerald Ford returned the Veterans Day Holiday to its original date of November 11th, as that was the anniversary of the end of World War I which occurred at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month!
HONORING ALL VETERANS
Not all veterans have fought in a war. Members of the military serve their country in many different ways, and Veterans Day honors all American troops who have served honorably whether it was during war or peacetime. Protecting US Embassies, providing medical assistance to communities in need, or providing natural disaster relief are all ways to serve our country that don't involve war.
OTHER COUNTRIES RECOGNIZE VETERANS DAY
There are several other countries that have their own holidays recognizing their veterans who have served their country and fought in wars that fall on or around November. Outside of the United States, however, these important days have different names such as Remembrance Day, or Armistice Day.
Information Credit: ReadersDigest.com & MentalFloss.com
The Lake West Chamber of Commerce hopes you have enjoyed learning these interesting facts surrounding this important holiday. We are proud to represent our local community on the West Side of the Lake of the Ozarks, and would love for you to become a part of our growing and thriving organization.
Feel free to stop by or visit our website to learn more about our area and how the Lake West Chamber of Commerce can be of assistance to you whether you are a long-time resident or you are new to our area!
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