Local businesses, campus celebrate veterans

Henry+Polito%2C+Commander+of+the+Kenner+VFW+Post+7732%2C+salutes+as+the+city+of+Kenner+pays+tribute+to+military+veterans+during+the+annual+Veterans+Day+Celebration+Wednesday%2C+Nov.+10%2C+2010%2C+at+Veterans+Park+in+Kenner%2C+La.+Marine+Sgt.+Joseph+Bovia%2C+who+was+killed+in+Afghanistan+in+August%2C+was+remembered.+The+event+also+included+the+presentation+of+colors+by+Bonnabel+High+Schools+Air+Force+JROTC+Color+Guard%2C+guest+speaker+Cmdr.+Tracy+S.+Day%2C+and+patriotic+music+by+the+Navy+Band+New+Orleans.+

Henry Polito, Commander of the Kenner VFW Post 7732, salutes as the city of Kenner pays tribute to military veterans during the annual Veterans Day Celebration Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2010, at Veterans Park in Kenner, La. Marine Sgt. Joseph Bovia, who was killed in Afghanistan in August, was remembered. The event also included the presentation of colors by Bonnabel High School’s Air Force JROTC Color Guard, guest speaker Cmdr. Tracy S. Day, and patriotic music by the Navy Band New Orleans.

By Zachary Brictson and Eric Beesley

Veterans Day is here and local businesses and the campus community have made preparations to commemorate both retired and active service members.

Ceremonies, presentations, special offers and discounts are all a part of the day’s events.

The DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St., will be holding a presentation called ‘WWII As I Saw It’ by retired WWII Army veteran Don Schoo, according the library’s website.

The event is free and open to all ages and starts at 7 p.m.

DeKalb Public Library will also have veteran Ivan Prall give his first-hand account of the war next Tuesday.

Various other businesses are offering discounts on the holiday.

Appleebee’s, 2411 Sycamore Road, will be offering free entrees to service members, said Jessica Rugcrio, the restaurant’s manager,

“We are giving free food to anyone who is an active or retired service member,” she said. “It’s all day long, 11 a.m. to midnight.”

NAPA Auto Parts, 607 E. Lincoln Highway, is helping other shops prepare free oil changes to give to veteran’s today, said Tom Holder, a representative of the store.

“We’re supplying the oil and filters to the shops, and they do the labor,” Holder said.

He said the Auto Clinic, 901 E. Lincoln Highway is the primary promoter of the service, and will be offering the free oil change, as will other participating auto shops.

According to the NIU Veterans Club website, a ceremony will be held today at Veterans Memorial Flagpole on the northeast corner of the East Lagoon.

The club’s event page on Facebook said that the “ceremony will be to honor all military veterans past and present.”