Veterans Day events are planned for Sunday and Monday in Lanett and Valley

Published 7:00 am Saturday, November 9, 2019

VALLEY — American Legion Post 67 will be hosting a Veterans Day program at Veterans Memorial Park at 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 11. In the event of inclement weather, the program would move indoors to Valley Community Center.

Post Commander Lanny Bledsoe will receive a proclamation from Valley Mayor Leonard Riley celebrating the 100th anniversary of the American Legion.

The organization was formed in Paris, France on March 15, 1919, by a thousand men and officers from the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), which had fought in World War I. The Legion played an important role in drafting and getting signed into law the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the GI Bill,

Email newsletter signup

“We appreciate Gov. Kay Ivey’s recognizing our local World War II veterans at a program held at Bradshaw Library on Sept. 30,” Bledsoe said. “We will be thanking her for that on Monday. We hope to have some of our World War II veterans present for that.”

The main part of the program will be reading the names of the 72 men from the Valley area who died in World War II.

“Bobby Elliott, Frank Hartley and Sammy Newton will take turns reading the names,” Bledsoe said.

The City of Lanett will be hosting a Veterans Day program inside city hall at 1 p.m. on Monday. Lt. Willie Brown, a veteran and current officer with the Lanett Police Department, will be speaking. Afterward, sandwiches and finger foods will be served.