Correction: An earlier version of the story said the luncheon is Nov. 8. The correct date is Thursday, Nov. 6.
St. Charles Parish veterans and their spouses are invited to attend a veterans luncheon Nov. 6 at the Edward A. Dufresne Community Center.
The event, which includes a complimentary lunch for attendees, begins at 11:30 a.m. and will feature the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Band and guest speaker Rochelle Touchard, a St. Charles Parish native and U.S. Army veteran.
Parish President Matthew Jewell and Sheriff Greg Champagne will each give remarks. The event will also include a video tribute to parish veterans. Residents can send their service photos, along with their name, branch and rank, to publicinfo@stcharlesgov.net by Saturday, Nov. 1.
The parish, which hosts the event with the sheriff’s office, held its first veterans luncheon in 2008. This year, the parish is expecting about 400 attendees.
Francesca Blanchard, a spokesperson for the parish, said the event is important because it’s a way to honor veterans and the sacrifices they’ve made for our freedom.
“This luncheon is also a great way for our veterans to come together and enjoy community and camaraderie with their neighbors who have also served,” she said.
Veterans Day is observed every year on Nov. 11. The date marked the end of World War I in 1918, and President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11 as Armistice Day a year later. Congress made Armistice Day a federal holiday in 1938, but after major mobilizations of Americans in World War II and the Korean War, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation that marked Nov. 11 as Veterans Day to honor American veterans of all wars.
