Veterans Week Ceremonies & Parade

ENID, OK - Enid will paint the city yellow to honor those who serve and who have served during Veterans Appreciation Week November 4-11.

Woodring Wall of Honor and Veterans Park has teamed up with the City of Enid, Ambucs, the Stride Bank Center, and Visit Enid in displaying yellow ribbons throughout the city during Celebrate Freedom week, honoring and remembering our veterans in Enid. Since early 2000, the Woodring Wall of Honor and Veterans Park has adorned cedar trees lining the airport and veterans park entrance with yellow bows to remember and honor our fallen heroes and veterans. We want to expand that theme throughout the City.

The city wide campaign began last year with an idea from Enid city attorney, Carol Lahman, who remembered the time when tying yellow ribbons was prevalent in her community. She remembered the song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree” and wrote a proclamation for the city to adopt. The song is a timeless classic from Tony Orlando and has come to mean a lot more, especially for veterans and their families assigned stateside and overseas protecting American interests.

Celebrate Freedom is the annual theme and begins on Saturday, November 4th with the Ride to Remember, which honors our Vietnam Veterans. The ride, organized by the Enid Riders, will leave the Wall of Honor and will visit three NW Oklahoma military monuments. The ride will end at the Oakwood Mall while family friendly activities are being held in anticipation of the ribbon cutting at 4 pm at the former Sears location in the mall for the new OK Military History Exhibit. The exhibit spans 40,000 sq. ft showcasing all eras of war and all service branches, according to Executive Director, Elaine Johns. Johns states, “The exhibit, which is not currently Smithsonian quality will show NW Oklahoma the need to establish a new military museum.” Corvettes, muscle cars, antique cars and classics will be showcased from 11 – 6 pm. Food truck festival will be held outdoors with seating available for families. A large craft/vendor fair will be held in the mall featuring a variety of vendors. Bounce houses, escape room, shuffle board, candy stores and mall vendors will be open for the event. A special focus on the Blue Star Mothers will be held and to enter the exhibit, visitors are asked to bring an item to place in care boxes that are being sent overseas to our Oklahoma troops serving in Africa. Donations can be accepted to offset the costs of postage.

On Monday, November 6, the campaign will be aimed at passing out yellow ribbons in support of military veterans, first responders, and active-duty armed forces. We’ll be holding an opening ceremony at 6:30 pm in the Grand Ballroom of the Stride Bank Center in downtown Enid. The ceremony will include a proclamation from Enid Mayor David Mason, patriotic music, a yellow ribbon challenge to schools and our community and the keynote speaker will be Bob Ford, a US Army combat veteran from the Vietnam era. Winners from the schools art contest will be recognized and gift certificates will be presented at that event by Col Charles Throckmorton IV, Commander of Vance AFB. A free heat/air system from Dense Mechanical will be awarded to a worthy veteran. Tox Morillo has painted a portrait of his rendition of the War Horse. The Steven Spielberg movie depicts a young man whose horse is taken by the cavalry for the war effort. It will be raffled off Monday during the ceremony. The public is encouraged to attend in honor of our veterans. The event is free to the public.

There will be a special ceremony on Tuesday, November 7 on Kincade Dr., the road leading to Vance Air Force Base. Two oak trees will be planted, one to honor current military members, the other to remember the fallen and those families of MIAs waiting for their loved ones to return home. Yellow and black ribbons will be tied around those oak trees. Mayor Mason and Col Throckmorton, Commander of the 71st Flying Training Wing at Vance, will say a few words. A POW from the Hanoi Hilton will be present reminding us of the need to remember those missing in action or those that may still be held.

On Wednesday, November 8, the Woodring Wall of Honor and Veterans Park, First Baptist Church of Enid and the AM Ambucs will host a FREE lunch for veterans from 11:30 – 1 pm. The meal will be prepared by the AM Ambucs and served by the American Heritage Girls and Trail Life Boys Groups. Please RSVP by Nov 3rd to Visit Enid. The church is located at 401 W. Maine St. To sign up, call 580-233-3643, extension 1, or email to info@visitenid.org.

November 9th is full of events with veterans speaking all over Enid and surrounding areas. Woodring Wall of Honor Board Member and Vietnam Combat Veteran, Jack Toney will be speaking to the Republican Women’s luncheon and other speakers will be sharing testimony at schools and senior groups. That evening, country artist, Sara Evans, will be performing at the Stride Bank Center with some patriotic songs in her repertoire. A discount for military and veterans is offered for that event.

Friday, November 10th, a Veterans Day Ceremony will be held at the Stride Bank Center Arena at 6:30 pm. The annual Legacy Awards Ceremony honors veterans for their outstanding service to our country. Five veterans will be awarded the prestigious Legacy Veteran of the Year Award and one award will recognize a veteran for not only their service to our country but have gone on to make a difference by serving their communities. A highlight of the Veterans Day Services is the presentation to HB Evans for the prestigious French Legion of Honor Award by Honorary French Consul, Grant Moak. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the dedication of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Enid, American Veterans Traveling Tribute Founder, Don Allen will be the keynote speaker at the Veterans Day services. Allen sold his first traveling wall to the Woodring Wall of Honor and Veterans Park and it has become the “go to” consultation for other permanent wall placements in other states. Following the ceremony is a FREE big band dance with the music of Talk of the Town. The 17 piece orchestra and two soloists will bring back the era of the greatest generation.

The Veterans Day Parade will be Saturday, November 11th at 11 am. For more information or to enter a float in the parade, contact Noon Ambucs at 580-231-7964. For further information about Celebrate Freedom and the Veterans Appreciation Week, contact Visit Enid at 580-233-3643 or www.visitenid.org.

Thank you to Veterans and their families. Enid will be celebrating Veterans all week long.

Saturday, November 4

10:30 am, Ride to Remember, motorcycles, cars, trucks make a 100-mile ride to military sites. Leaving from the ML Becker Educational Center at Woodring Regional Airport.

4 pm, Ribbon Cutting, Oklahoma Military Exhibit at Oakwood Mall, a family-friendly event with a car show, food trucks, vendors and live music.

Monday, November 6

6:30 pm, Kick-Off Ceremony, Stride Bank Center, 301 S Independence.

Tuesday, November 7

10:30 am, Tree Planting Ceremony, Vance AFB main road.

Wednesday, November 8

11:30 am, Free Luncheon for Veterans, at First Baptist Church, 401 W Mainer.

Thursday, November 9

7 pm, Sara Evans concert, Stride Bank Center.

Friday, November 10

6:30 pm, Legacy Ball & Award Ceremony, Stride Bank Center after the ceremony stay for Talk of the Town, a WWII Swing Band.

Saturday, November 11

11 am, Veterans Day Parade, downtown square.

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