Veterans Day is a day to recognize the sacrifice of all veterans, living or deceased. Originally known as Armistice Day, the holiday first commemorated the day when World War I ended in 1918. Since then, it has been expanded to be a day for veterans of all U.S. wars, and veterans who served in peace time.

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Bloomingdale

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Emma Charland lays a wreath at a plaque on a rock outside Bloomingdale Elementary School on Friday, as fellow Scout Olivia Munn, teacher Brooke Varner and 14 local veterans look on. The veterans were honored with a ceremony at the school on Friday, ahead of Veterans Day on Monday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

The St. Armand Veterans Day ceremony this year is special because it includes a ribbon-cutting for the nearly complete Veterans Memorial Park in the heart of town next to the Bloomingdale Town Hall.

The park features several large rectangular stones with plaques bearing the names of local veterans — 385 of them serving in almost 250 years of conflicts dating back to the Revolutionary War. The ground will be paved with sponsored engraved memorial bricks, which were sold to raise funds for the park — $137,000 so far of a $143,000 goal.

The park also included a pergola, benches and planters.

St. Armand town Supervisor and St. Armand Veterans Memorial Park Task Force Chair Davina Thurston said she’s disappointed the memorial won’t be quite finished on Veterans Day, but it should be done by the end of the month.

Some of the memorial stones from Canton-based monument makers Witherbee and Whalen have been installed already. Others will have poster boards with the names and information of the soldiers who will eventually be on them.

Employees with the Canton-based monument makers Witherbee and Whalen install one of the stone monuments at the St. Armand Veterans Memorial Park. A ribbon cutting for the park will be held on Veterans Day, Monday, at 2 p.m. (Provided photo — Davina Thurston)

The ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 1688 state Route 3 at 2 p.m. Monday, after Saranac Lake’s ceremony, with refreshments following.

After Thurston was elected in 2019, she wanted to create a veterans memorial. She created a non-profit organization to raise money.

Soon afterward, the coronavirus pandemic hit — which slowed things up a bit, but gave them time to gather the names of all 385 veterans known to be from St. Armand.

Thurston said it feels amazing to finish it up.

“I’m just overwhelmed. I’m grateful and so thrilled that we can recognize our veterans and honor them in such a way,” Thurston said.

Aaiden Thatcher and Reid Bessette sing a song for 14 local veterans who were honored with a ceremony at the Bloomingdale Elementary School on Friday, ahead of Veterans Day on Monday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Her father is a veteran and her son is in the National Guard. She’s always been patriotic.

She said St. Armand’s memorial is based on her hometown memorial park in nearby Keene, where her father and her uncles are memorialized.

Thurston said she loves this park in Keene. It means a lot to her. And she’s glad to be able to bring that respect to Bloomingdale.

Thurston said she’s met a lot of great people in the process.

The task force includes Mick Changelo, Justyna Babcock, Cheri Fisher, Joe Fisher, Nancy Hurteau, Donna Whitelaw and Kate Lynch-Lewis.

Bloomingdale Elementary School student Letty Callaghan holds a basket of poppy pins which were handed out to 14 local veterans honored with a ceremony at the school on Friday, ahead of Veterans Day on Monday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

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Saranac Lake

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The Saranac Lake Veterans Day ceremony will take place Monday at 11 a.m. at the Harrietstown Town Hall in the downstairs auditorium, according to VFW Auxiliary 3357 President Gina Rabideau Norton

A reception will follow.

Carter Fuller reads off the names of veterans in his family as Bloomingdale Elementary School student honor 14 local veterans with a ceremony at the school on Friday, ahead of Veterans Day on Monday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

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Tupper Lake

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The Tupper Lake Veterans Day ceremony will take place Monday at 11 a.m. at the Tupper Lake Veterans Memorial on Park Street. Marine Corps League Post 1268 commander Terry Tubridy will speak, the high school band will play patriotic music and wreaths will be laid at the memorial.

Tracy Luton, commander of Tupper Lake’s Edmond Bujold Adirondack Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3120, said if the weather is bad an alternate location will be at the high school.

Afterward, a group will head to the Tupper Lake Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, formerly Mercy Living Center, at 1 p.m. to honor 10 veterans living there.

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Lake Placid

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The Lake Placid American Legion Post 326 will observe Veterans Day by lowering and raising flags in honor of local veterans who are no longer with us and who had honorably, unselfishly served and sacrificed for our country allowing all of us to enjoy our freedoms as Americans.

Post 326 will have a Veterans Day parade, a closing ceremony and luncheon at the Legion’s home, located at 2710 Main St.

Six flags honoring local veterans will be retired. The flags have been flying since Memorial Day on May 27. The six new flags will be raised and flown until Memorial Day 2025.

The retired flags will be presented to the families in attendance. Another flag at the North Elba Cemetery is also maintained by the American Legion in honor of all deceased local veterans. A wreath will be placed at the Legion’s Memorial Monument by the American Legion Auxiliary.

The day’s activities begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Adirondack Community Church and the World War I Memorial, located at 31 Parkside Drive, where a flag honoring Robert Fadden will be lowered, and a flag honoring Robert Jones will be raised.

At 9:50 a.m. a ceremony will take place at Elderwood of Uihlein at Lake Placid, lowering a flag honoring Dennis Smythe and raising a flag in honor of Larry Prager. At 10:10 a.m., a ceremony will be held at the Lake Placid Health and Medical Fitness Center, where a flag will be lowered honoring Clifford Wells and one will be raised in honor of Larry Prager.

At 11 a.m., the Veterans Day parade will start at the intersection of Main Street and Saranac Avenue and will continue down Main Street to the American Legion home. All veterans are encouraged to join the American Legion in the parade.

After the parade, at 11:30 a.m., closing ceremonies will take place at the American Legion home. There, flags honoring Robert Peacock, Douglas Bissonette and Alfred Vondell will be lowered. Flags honoring Donald Lawrence, Benjamin Gadway and Donald Scammell will be raised.

The American Legion Auxiliary will place a wreath at the memorial monument at 11:45 a.m., following the closing ceremonies. After the wreath placing, they and the Sons of the Legion will co-host a luncheon. The community, friends and families are invited to attend any and all ceremonies and the luncheon, according to Doug Hoffman, the post commander.

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Keene

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American Legion Marcy Post 1312 will conduct its traditional Veterans Day ceremony in Keene beginning at 11 a.m. Monday at the Veterans Monument Park along Norton Cemetery Road in Keene.

The ceremony includes an honor guard, rifle squad, music and some remarks to thank and honor all who have served and are serving in the armed forces of the United States of America, according to Tom Both, the post commander.

The ceremony is open to the public.

Olivia Munn and Emma Charland carry a wreath honoring 14 local veterans at a ceremony at Bloomingdale Elementary School on Friday, ahead of Veterans Day on Monday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Charlee Conger, Alex Kline and Addy Pelkey sing a song for 14 local veterans who were honored with a ceremony at the Bloomingdale Elementary School on Friday, ahead of Veterans Day on Monday. Charlee Conger, Alex Kline and Addy Pelkey sing a song for 14 local veterans who were honored with a ceremony at the Bloomingdale Elementary School on Friday, ahead of Veterans Day on Monday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

Bloomingdale Elementary School students sing a song for 14 local veterans who were honored with a ceremony at the school on Friday, ahead of Veterans Day on Monday. (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)