Commissioner Dianne Edmondson
Here in Robson Ranch, we have many, many veterans from all branches of the military, and while we always appreciate them, our special time to honor them is on Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
This holiday was first observed on Nov. 11, 1919, as Armistice Day, since World War I, referred to as “the war to end all wars,” had officially ended the year before on “the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” and was intended to honor the military veterans of America’s Armed Forces.
As Nov. 11 falls on a Saturday this year, it will be officially observed on Friday, Nov. 10. Nearly 18 million people will be honored this year, as about 7% of American adults are veterans, according to the 2018 U.S. Census data.
Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day, celebrated annually on the last Monday in May and commemorating Armed Forces personnel who lost their lives serving our country. So, both the living veterans and the deceased military are honored on different dates, and, of course, currently serving military always appreciate being thanked for their service.
Here at Robson Ranch, we always have a wonderful patriotic concert on Veterans Day—actually, two concerts: one at 11 a.m. and the second at 7 p.m. That same day, the Support Our Troops (SOT) organization holds its annual silent auction with lots of well-priced goodies, including baskets loaded with all kinds of treasurers. Veterans who have registered with SOT are admitted free to the concerts. SOT also supports deployed active military who have friends or relatives here on the Ranch with boxes of love from home items throughout the year. And it’s a proud tradition here for SOT to place the dozens of American flags on Ed Robson Blvd. on Veterans Day, as well as provide a flag for residents who request flags for their homes.
With all the turmoil in our world, it is so important to continue our traditions of honoring our veterans who have served in far-flung countries, having pledged to give their all if needed to protect our freedom, our country, and our homeland. To each veteran reading this column, please accept my personal “thank you” for the sacrifices you made. I hope that you, too, will thank a veteran this month and keep our military and other first responders in your prayers. I know we’ll also keep our friends in Israel and Ukraine in our prayers and hope in the months to come that they also will enjoy peace and safety, both in their homelands and freedom from those who wish them harm.