Another school has announced plans to honor the community’s veterans with a ceremony this week.

Northside Elementary School joins Cherokee Elementary students in remembering the men and women in the community who are presently or have been in the Armed Forces.

A third Veterans Day ceremony is being conducted by the American Legion Post No. 86, and will officially mark Cedartown’s observance.

Cherokee students will conduct the first ceremony for the week on Thursday, Nov. 8. The students will unite with other children across the nation to sing “God Bless America.”

The effort is part of the national United We Sing campaign, which has arisen from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.

Cherokee’s ceremony is set for 1:15 p.m. in the school gymnasium. All veterans are invited to attend, as is the general public.

All veterans are also cordially invited to Northside’s annual Veterans Day celebration on Friday, Nov. 9.

The ceremony is set for 11 a.m. in the gymnasium. Northside’s 66-member chorus under the direction of Mrs. Leigh Ann Lundy will sing several patriotic songs.

Glen York, Jr., will be the guest speaker.

Any veteran planning to attend is encouraged to contact the school at 770-748-4932 by Wednesday, Nov. 7.

On Sunday, Nov. 11, the Brewster-Cleveland Post of the American Legion will conduct the official Veterans Day ceremony in the courtyard of the Polk County Courthouse No. 1, promptly at 11 a.m.

The observance has been approved by the City of Cedartown. Chairman Bert Wood of the City Commission recently signed a proclamation reminding citizens to honor the day.

The proclamation reads as followed:

“Whereas, it has been our custom to commemorate Nov. 11, the anniversary of the ending of World War I, by paying tribute to the heroes of that tragic struggle and by rededicating ourselves to the cause of peace; and

“Whereas, in the intervening years, the United States has been involved in other great military conflicts, which have added millions of veterans living and dead to the honor rolls of this nation; and

“Whereas, in order to expand the significance of that commemoration and in order that a grateful nation might pay appropriate homage to the veterans of all wars who have contributed so much to the preservation of this nation, and

“Whereas, the Brewster-Cleveland, American Legion, Post 86, of Cedartown, Georgia, does hereby request that all of our citizens observe Veterans Day on Sunday, Nov. 11, 2001

“Now therefore, I Bert Wood, City Commission Chairman, of Cedartown, Georgia, do hereby call upon all of our citizens to observe Sunday, Nov. 11, 2001 as Veterans Day.

“On that day, let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on seas, in the air, on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain.

“I also direct the appropriate officials of the Government to arrange for the display of the flag of the United States on all public buildings on Veterans Day.

“In order to ensure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans’ organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose.”

According to the Veterans of Foreign Wars website, Veterans Day originated in 1926 recognizing the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918 at the 11th hour.

Though first called Armistice Day, the holiday initially remembered soldiers who had served the country in the First World War.

In 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower signed a bill to rename the holiday Veterans Day to honor servicemen and women of all wars.