Veterans Day – We Must Never Forget
Gilchrist hosts celebrations honoring veterans at residential care facilities across the region.
Veterans Day can be traced back to World War I. The Armistice went into effect at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. That is the origin of Veterans Day, which is celebrated on November 11.
Veterans Day is not to be confused with Memorial Day, which honors those who died while in military service. Veterans Day honors all American veterans, living and dead.
President John F. Kennedy said, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” Gilchrist believes strongly in honoring our veterans who live by their military values.
How Gilchrist Honors Veterans
“For the veteran, thank you for bravely doing what you’re called to do so we can safely do what we’re free to do.” –Anonymous
Gilchrist’s We Honor Veterans program strives to meet the unique needs of veterans at the end of life and thank them for their sacrifice and service through veteran-to-veteran outreach and other initiatives. Additionally, Gilchrist is committed to honoring and celebrating all veterans and their families in our community. One of the ways we honor veterans is through our Veterans Day celebrations at area residential care facilities.
Veterans Day Celebrations
On Veterans Day, Gilchrist staff, military veteran volunteers, active-duty military personnel, ROTC cadets and others will conduct celebrations honoring veterans at 12 local residential care facilities, including:
- Oakcrest Senior Living Community
- Charlestown Retirement Home
- Brightview White Marsh Retirement Home
- Brightview Rolling Hills Senior Living
- Brightview Perry Hall Retirement Home
- Future Care Canton Harbor
- Future Care Irvington
- Keswick
- Genesis Loch Raven
- Genesis Cromwell
- Atrium Village
- Sunrise of Columbia
Veterans living at these facilities will be invited to a common area, which will be decorated for Veterans Day. The celebrations will include the National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance, introductions of the veterans, a salute, as well as patriotic music and readings. Each veteran will be honored with a special pin representing Veterans Day. Family members and other residents at the facility will be invited to attend to honor the veterans.
The ceremonies will serve as a moving tribute to veterans for their sacrifice and service, and an opportunity for those in attendance to thank veterans for all they done.
From the events:
To learn more about Gilchrist’s commitment to veterans and our We Honor Veterans program, visit gilchristcares.org/whv.