Honoring The Brave: Veterans Day 2022 in Western Pennsylvania
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The nation will honor the brave men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces on Friday, Nov. 11. Here are a few Veterans Day events and commemorations across Western Pennsylvania.
ALLEGHENY COUNTY EVENTS:
Mt. Washington Veteran Banner Celebration
"20-year quest to honor Mt. Washington veterans"
Banners are flying proudly from Mt. Washington, a major tribute that has been a community effort for the last 20 years. The Mt. Washington community sang "God Bless America" and paying tribute to loved ones who served.
There was an official celebration that happened Sunday, Nov. 6 at noon at the Veterans of Foreign War Memorial at Duquesne Heights Incline. Check out the banners and make a drive up to Mt. Washington.
Pittsburgh Veterans Day Parade
"Celebration of Service: No One Stands Alone"
This year's parade on Friday, Nov. 11 starts at 10:30 a.m. on Liberty Avenue at 10th St. to 15th St. Above the parade route at 11 a.m., Air Force and Army pilots are scheduled to perform flyovers in commemoration of Veterans Day.
For more information on the parade, click here.
ROAD CLOSURES: There will be road closures associated with the Veterans Day Parade. Liberty Avenue between 10th and 26th Streets will close at 9 a.m. The parade starts at 10:30 a.m. and will march from 10th Street and Liberty Avenue down Liberty Avenue ending at Commonwealth Place. Parking along the parade route and staging area on Liberty will be restricted.
Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum
"Celebrating America's Post 9/11 Defenders"
Commemorate veterans who served in Irag and Afghanistan with the unveiling of a new statue at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum Trust. It's called "America's Defenders" dedicated to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
They're holding a special ceremony and open house Friday, Nov. 11 from 6-8 p.m. which is free and open to the community. The museum is located at 4141 Fifth Ave at the University of Pittsburgh campus. For more information on registering for the open house, click here.
In addition to the statue unveiling, the Soldiers & Sailors Museum is collecting $20 donations to Fill the Hill; for every donation they'll place a flag in the front lawn of the museum. Check out the display today.
Rededication of IUP Vietnam Veterans Memorial
"Forty years later- bond of military service and fellowship"
Head over to the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and help celebrate 40 years of work to honor and remember the service members of IUP. Five members of the Veterans Club are holding a rededication ceremony for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Friday, Nov. 11 at noon.
It was originally dedicated 40 years ago and now welcomes students to the Department of Military Science and ROTC at the front of Pierce Hall. For more information on the rededication on Veterans Day, click here.
Carnegie Veterans Day Ceremony at Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall
Members of the Carnegie American Legion Post 82 and Congressman Conor Lamb are welcoming people to their annual Veterans Day ceremony at Library Park outside Andrew Carnegie Library & Music Hall. The ceremony starts at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 11 with poetry readings by Carnegie Elementary school students. The ceremony will end with a rendition of Taps to honor service members. For more, visit the Facebook event page.
Veterans Day Submarine Ceremony on the USS Requin at Carnegie Science Center
On Friday, Nov. 11, veterans and their families will be honored inside Carnegie Science Center and on board a submarine called the USS Requin, currently moored on the Allegheny River. Special guests who will be speaking at this commemoration alongside Carnegie Museums representatives include Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, US Representative Natalie Mahalek and Congressman Conor Lamb.
The ceremony is at 2:30-4:30 p.m. at the RiveView Cafe inside the Carnegie Science Center. Additionally, veterans get free admission all day at the Carnegie Science Center which is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, click here.
Veterans Day Breakfast Celebration at Duquesne University
It's time for the 24th annual breakfast honoring Veterans Day at Duquesne University. Hundreds of veterans will be at the breakfast Friday, Nov. 11 starting at 8 a.m. Hear from keynote speaker Vietnam Veteran Judge Michael McCarthy, as well as the CEO of the Veterans Leadership Program. The Veterans Day Breakfast Celebration is happening inside the Student Union Ballroom on campus.
Veterans Day Ceremony and Breakfast at Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock University's Office of Engagement as well as the Office for Inclusive Excellence welcomes veterans and their families to campus for a special celebration. On Friday, Nov. 11, the event starts with breakfast at 9:30 a.m. at the Alumni House, then the Veterans Day ceremony is in the same spot following breakfast at 11 a.m. Hear from keynote speaker Col. Michael Brobeck who graduated from SRU and served for nearly 36 years in the U.S. military. You can find more information about the ceremony here.
"Light to Unite"
Buildings lighting up purple to commemorate Veterans Day and anniversary of Purple Heart Award
Pittsburgh is one of 40 cities that will be participating in "Light to Unite" Friday, Nov. 11. It's National Day of Unity across the nation, as well as the commemoration of the 240th anniversary of the Purple Heart Award. In Pittsburgh, you'll be able to see glowing purple lights in ceremonial colors of the Marine Corps League color guard at the Koppers Building on Grant Street.
Other buildings in Pittsburgh that will be glowing purple for the day of unity include the U.S. Steel Tower, United Steelworkers Headquarters, 11 Stanwix, Gulf Tower, Nova Place, and Oxford Center. The lighting officially starts at 5:20 p.m. the United Steelworkers headquarters on Boulevard of the Allies.
ARMSTRONG COUNTY EVENTS:
Apollo Area Veterans Program
"Celebrating lives, contributions, and impact of each veteran"
Curran Funeral Homes continues to celebrate the lives of veterans in their area each year. This is the19th Annual Apollo Area Veterans program happening on Friday, Nov. 11 at noon at the Curran-Shaffer Funeral Home. They can be found at 100 Owens View Ave. in Apollo.
In the press release, they said "our family of funeral homes have had the privilege of serving 63 veterans in the last 12 months, and we will be honoring those men and women, along with four special honorees, Staff Sgt. Stevon A Booker, Army Specialist William R. Sturges, Jr., Army Specialist Joshua Justice Henry, and Army 2nd Lieutenant Michael R. Girdano. These four men were killed during service during either Operation Iraqi Freedom, or Operation Enduring Freedom."
BEAVER COUNTY EVENTS:
Veterans Breakfast, Resource Fair at Community College of Beaver County
Ahead of Veterans Day, the Community College of Beaver County in Monaca will be serving breakfast to over 300 people. It's happening on Thursday, Nov. 10 from 9-11 a.m. at The Dome on 1 Campus Drive. Senator Elder Vogel, Jr. will also be at the event helping serve community members. Everyone is also encouraged to check out resource materials that will be available from organizations like Wings for Vets and more. For all the information, visit their website.
Beaver County Veterans Day Parade
Head over to the borough of New Brighton for Beaver County's Veterans Day Parade on Friday, Nov. 11 at 10:30 a.m. It's starting at 3rd Avenue in New Brighton and will travel down Thirteenth Street to Townsend Park on Sixth Street. Visit the New Brighton American Legion Post 19 Facebook page for more.
BUTLER COUNTY EVENTS:
Butler Art Center & Gallery Veterans Show
Starting Wednesday, Nov. 9 until Friday, Nov. 18 artists at the Butler Art Center & Gallery will be celebrating the lives of veterans through portraits. First responders and service members will have their images on display at the gallery. There will be a reception for the gallery with refreshments and music on Friday, Nov. 11 from 7-9 p.m.
CANCELED Butler City Veterans Day Parade
Honoring David Smith as 2022 Veteran of the Year
Butler residents can honor the 2022 Veteran of the Year and all veterans during the annual luncheon and parade happening Friday, Nov. 11 and Saturday, Nov. 12. First the Veterans Day Parade on Main Street is happening on Friday starting at 10:40 a.m.
Then, on Saturday, the Butler County Veterans Services will be hosting a luncheon celebration at noon honoring the 2022 Veteran of the Year, David Smith. That's happening at American Legion Post 778 at 150 Legion Memorial Lane in Butler Township. For more on the county's Veterans Day plans, click here.
FAYETTE COUNTY EVENTS:
DATE CHANGED Connellsville Veterans Day parade
Due to weather restrictions, the date for Connellsville Veterans Day parade has been changed from today to tomorrow, Saturday, Nov. 12. Line up starts at 8:30 a.m. on the west side of Connellsville. The parade starts at 10:45 a.m. at Crawford Avenue, then the parade will turn left onto N Pittsburgh Street. The parade ends at the Connellsville War Memorial, followed by a program featuring keynote speaker Brian Bensen, director of Fayette County Veterans Affairs.
LAWRENCE COUNTY EVENTS:
New Castle Veterans Day Parade
"Come Out and Give Thanks"
Head to downtown New Castle on Saturday, Nov. 12 for floats, motorcades, food trucks, and more during the Veterans Day Parade. It starts at 11 a.m. but parade participants will start lining up at the Inner Belt Beside Beer 4 Less in New Castle at 9:30 a.m.
VAO Veteran's Project Annual Breakfast
Free to all veterans and their spouses
Before going to the New Castle parade, veterans are being welcomed to stop by for breakfast at the Loyal Order of the Moose #51 at 29 S. Mercer St. It's free for all veterans and their spouses, and non-veterans are being asked to donate. Breakfast will be served Saturday, Nov. 12 from 8-10:30 a.m. and includes bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, coffee and orange juice.
WESTMORELAND COUNTY EVENTS:
Pittsburgh-Greensburg Veterans Week
"Operation Transition: From Service to Wellness"
The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg has a full week of events scheduled to honor veterans. During the campus Veterans Week, there will be a wreath ceremony at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 7. Later they're having a wellness and resource fair, film screening, and more.
The campus is rocking red on Friday, Nov. 11 to RED Out, or Remember Everyone Deployed. For a full list of all the events starting Saturday, Nov. 5 through Friday, Nov 19, click here. To RSVP for any of the events, click here.
Battles to Bikes Veterans Day Ride
Veteran Suicide Awareness
Grab your gear for the Veterans Day Ride which is happening Saturday, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. on the Westmoreland Heritage Trail in Export. After the ride, there will be an evening of fellowship, raffles, and giveaways at Helltown Taproom in Export. For more information, visit their Facebook page here.
Ray of Hope Annual Suicide Awareness & Prevention Conference
"From Darkness to Light, Where Our Hope Takes Flight"
Veterans and mental health experts from Western Pennsylvania are hosting a conference at Westmoreland County Community College Friday, Nov.18 starting at 8 a.m. The annual event is called Ray of Hope, bringing veterans, support groups, and suicide loss survivors together for discussion. For more information, click here.
CANCELED Lower Burrell Veterans Day Parade
The city of Lower Burrell canceled the Veterans Day Parade scheduled for Friday, Nov. 11 due to weather conditions and rain. They are still holding a public ceremony at the VFW Lodge on Wildlife Lodge Road. Click here for more information; the city encourages residents who can't make teh ceremony to still find a way to honor the veterans in their lives.
Here are a few events and commemorations across the border in Northeastern Ohio you can check out:
OHIO EVENTS:
CANTON, Ohio (KDKA) -- The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, is honoring veterans with a special event on Friday, Nov. 11. Veterans will not only have free admission to the hall and a commemorative pin, but also can participate in a Veterans Day Expo from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There are speakers and organizations scheduled to engage with veterans during the expo. For more information, click here.
Veterans Day deals & discounts:
- Sheetz: Veterans can stop by Sheetz Friday, Nov. 11 for a free lunch or dinner and a free car wash. Check if your local Sheetz location has a car wash.
- Sports Clips: Free haircuts are available for all service members at Sports Clips as part of their fundraiser called "Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship." Through donations, veterans are able to obtain scholarships for secondary school through the campaign. For every haircut on Friday, Nov. 11, Sports Clips adds $2 to the scholarship fund, having already awarded almost 2,400 scholarships. Click here to find a Sports Clips location near you that's participating in the campaign.
