The Interim Committee Meetings started in mid-September and are now half-way finished.  During House committee meetings, members hear briefings and participate in important discussions on items ranging from public integrity and ethics discussions to abortion restrictions and state education improvements.  The end goal of these Interim Committee Meetings is for the members of the various committees to determine the agenda for the upcoming Legislative Session, which opens on January 14, 2020. 

On October 30th, Collier County Legislators  including Senator Kathleen Passidomo, Representatives Bob Rommel, Byron Donalds and Ana Maria Rodriguez, hosted its 2019 Legislative Delegation Day at the North Collier Regional Park.  This event provides an opportunity for agencies, organizations as well members of the public to present their issues, needs and concerns to their Legislators.  Almost 50 public and private agencies and 15 members of the public spoke.  It was a full day and provided the Legislators with much upon which to ponder.

Monday, November 11th is Veterans Day.  This annual federal holiday honors military veterans, that is, persons who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Generations of Americans owe a great debt of gratitude for the service and sacrifices of these men and women. 

Veterans Day is a holiday held every 11 November to honor all military personnel who have served in the U.S. armed forces. Veterans Day was originally called “Armistice Day,” and the date was chosen to commemorate the signing of the armistice with Germany that ended hostilities during World War I.

The armistice was signed on 11 November 1918, however it did not officially end that war. The official end came on 28 June 1919 with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. On the other hand, since the U.S. never signed the Treaty of Versailles like the other Allies, one could say that, for the U.S. at least, the 11 November armistice really did end the war.

In the immediate years after Armistice Day, the focus of the celebrations was on the veterans of World War I. However, the day was always meant to honor all veterans of foreign wars who risked their lives on the battle field to secure the freedoms of all Americans.

In 1926 Congress finally decided to declare that World War I was over. It was odd for this recognition of an existing reality to come seven years late. But without the U.S. agreeing to the Treaty of Versailles, there had been no official end to the war. Congress also expressed a desire for 11 November to be a legal holiday, following the lead of 27 states to have already done so. Congress called for the holiday to be a day of prayer and thanksgiving and expressed a desire that the U.S. flag be on display during this day and that special ceremonies be held.

Armistice Day finally became a permanent, official public holiday in 1938. Eerily enough, the holiday designed to honor World War I veterans became official only a few years before World War II arrived.

Over time, particularly once World War II was fought (and then the Korean and Vietnam wars), the focus on the 1918 Armistice was lost and the name of the holiday was changed. Additionally, Veterans Day is generally regarded today as honoring all those who ever served in the U.S. Armed Force rather than only those who actually fought in a war.

The next stage in the history of Veterans Day came in 1954, when it received its present name. Congress made the change when pressed to do so by various private veterans organizations.

Thank you to all the men and women who fought and served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Take your seats at least 15 minutes prior to the starting time. Parking is limited.  Plan to arrive early enough to hunt for parking and take your seats no later than 15 minutes prior to the beginning of this event.  This is an outdoor venue.  Please bring your water bottles and an umbrella.  
 

Other Veterans Day Events in Collier County

The mission of the Collier Lee Honor Flight is to transport local Veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit those memorials dedicated to honor their service and sacrifices. CLHF was established on September 25th, 2013 to bring this program to the Collier and Lee County area. A very successful inaugural flight (Mission 1) took place on November 9th, 2013, just six weeks after forming. To date CLHF has transported nearly 1200 WWII, Korean and Vietnam veterans on this deeply emotional and well deserved trip. 

Most recently, another amazing Mission 21 took off at on November 2nd, 2019.  They escorted WWII, Korean and Vietnam War Veterans to visit their memorials in D.C.  They provided also an evening of Honor to local Veterans who are unable to fly.

Our treasured Veterans departed RSW  for a one day trip to our nation’s capital. While in Washington, in addition to witnessing the changing of the guard at Arlington, they visited the WWII Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, and the Vietnam Memorial.

CLHF is currently preparing for Mission 22, which will be in April 25, 2020.  They truly believe that the service of our WWII vets and their sacrifices saved the world from oppression and this is their very small way of saying, “thank you.”

See www.collierhonorflight.org for additional details.