Patriotism may run through the Auburn community year round, but this week is a day made specifically to honor those who have fought, died, served and protected our country. This Veterans Day there is plenty for the community to do to honor veterans.
The City of Auburn is having a Veterans Day ceremony at the Veterans Memorial on the corner of Ross Street and Glenn Avenue.
"I think it's very important not only to recognize the service of the veterans who have sacrificed for the country and the freedoms that we enjoy, but it's also a tremendous opportunity for the general public... to show their appreciation to veterans," said Sam Nichols, chairman of the City of Auburn Veterans Committee.
Nichols is also a veteran himself.
Performing at this ceremony will be the Auburn University Choir, the Drake Middle School Choir and Dan Drummond playing the bagpipes.
Each year, people can purchase bricks to honor a family member, acquaintance, a loved one or any veteran. The bricks are placed at the memorial before the service on Veterans Day.
"Following the ceremony, everybody will be invited to go right up the street to the City of Auburn Chamber of Commerce where they'll have a reception," Nichols said. "You can meet the people who were involved in the ceremony and talk to some veterans."
The ceremony at the Veterans Memorial starts at 10 a.m., so the reception will follow whenever the ceremony concludes.
We simply just invite all those gathered including any veterans and guests and so forth to come," said Lolly Steiner, president of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce. "Just as a way to continue on the acknowledgement of Veterans Day."
Daniel Robinson, junior in physics, served in the Army from August 2004 until March 2009. He was stationed at Fort Stewart in Savannah, Georgia.
Robinson will be attending the Veterans Day ceremony and then attending a luncheon for veterans.
Robinson, president of the Student Veterans Association, said their club is having a veterans lunch where all of the proceeds will go to their scholarship, which they award to two veterans each academic year.
Tickets to the lunch are $20 per seat.
"Veterans Day isn't the only day that you can remember veterans," Robinson said. "We're not looking for handouts, I'm not looking for someone to come up to me and shake my hand... even if its just a passing thought saying 'Hey, you know what, they did sacrifice a lot.'"
Robinson said he chose to join the Army after his best friend from high school showed him a recruiting video. Robinson also said he had a military background in his family.
"I'm extremely proud of my service, all veterans are," Robinson said.
The Student Veterans Association meets once a month. Robinson said because many of the student veterans are older than the average student, it's a great place for them to find students who have something in common, especially for new veterans coming to Auburn.
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