Veterans council plans Nov. 11 celebration in Cambier Park

The Collier County Veterans Council hosts its Armistice Day-Veterans Day 2009 celebration Wednesday, Nov. 11, in Cambier Park. The prelude will begin at 10:15 a.m., followed by a formal ceremony at 10:40 a.m.

The program will include a reading of the general order issued at dawn, Nov. 11, 1918, by the commanding general of the Allied Forces directing all combat units to cease fire at 11 a.m., Paris time. This is the only military document that predates the official signed Armistice and details the events of that day to come.

Special tribute will be offered honoring Lance Corporal Dennis Burrow, Company G, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 3, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, who died in battle on Aug. 7, 2009, in Helmand, Afghanistan. His name will be added to the Veterans Memorial Wall in the park.

A letter from 1st Lt. Earl Carr to his future wife describing the events at the WWI battlefront will also be read. Longtime Neapolitans Emily Carr and Mary Watkins are Lt. Carr’s daughters. The family provided the land on which Cambier Park was created.

The Collier County Veterans Council has been promoting veterans and peace throughout Southwest Florida for more than 30 years. The Collier County Veteran Services Department and Museum will assist with this event. For more information, call 424-2652. 