By Denise Dunbar | ddunbar@alextimes.com
The City of Alexandria and Friends of Rocky Versace will host the 18th Annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Nov. 11 from 1 to 2 p.m. at Mount Vernon Recreation Center at 2701 Commonwealth Ave.
The one-hour, indoor ceremony will honor the 68 Alexandrians who died during the Vietnam War and all veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. The ceremony will include the reading of the 68 names engraved in the Captain Rocky Versace Plaza and Vietnam Veterans Memorial, recognition of Gold Star families in attendance, a tribute to Medal of Honor recipient Capt. Humbert Roque “Rocky” Versace, the presentation of Vietnam Veteran lapel pins to Vietnam-period veterans, a wreath laying in honor of Versace and the sounding of Taps.
Musical performances include the U.S. Army’s Historical Trumpets and Flutes of The Old Guard’s Fife and Drum Corps, and the “Star-Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America”, performed by the Alexandria Harmonizers.
On Veterans Day, City of Alexandria government offices, libraries, schools and recreation centers will be open. The Vola Lawson Animal Shelter will observe weekend hours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Alexandria History Museum at the Lyceum will be open regular hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. but all other city museums will be closed.
The Alexandria Health Department at 4480 King St., the Flora Krause Casey Wellness Center at 1200 N. Howard St. and the T.C. Williams High School Teen Wellness Center will all be closed on Veterans Day.
The Alexandria Police Department will suspend enforcement of parking restrictions at metered spaces and residential permit parking districts on Nov. 11. The Alexandria Transit Company DASH bus service will operate on its regular weekday schedule on Veterans Day, as will the free King Street Trolley.
All state offices will be closed on Nov. 11, including the Circuit Court, Clerk of Circuit Court, General District Court, Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court and Court Service Unit. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles at 2681 Mill Road will also be closed.
