Veterans Day events planned around isle

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Other events around the island will celebrate Veterans Day with ceremonies and food.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars 3830 will be hosting the annual ceremony commemorating veterans at the East Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 1 at 10 a.m. on Veterans Day on Friday, Nov. 11.

County officials, veterans and other distinguished guests will be in attendance. County parks and recreation director Maurice Messina will be the guest speaker.

All fee-charging national parks, including Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, will be offering free entrance for everyone on Veterans Day as a way to honor Americans who have served the country.

In addition, a new Veterans and Gold Star Family Interagency Lifetime Pass will be available starting on Veterans Day. The pass provides free lifetime access to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas.

Veterans with valid ID and Gold Star families with a printed voucher can get their pass online or in person at the park entrance station.

Information about identification accepted for the Veterans Pass and a downloadable Gold Star Family voucher are available online at www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/veterans-and-gold-star-families-free-access.htm.

The Kilauea Military Camp also will be providing meals for veterans with a buffet from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Veterans Day.

Reservations are required and can be made by emailing reservations@kilaueamilitarycamp.com, or calling (808) 967-8342. Veterans’ meals will be $10; meals for other adults cost $28.95 and $15.95 for children 6 to 11.

On Sunday, Nov. 13, motorcycle clubs and solo riders will participate in the Veterans Day Drive by Salute at the Yukio Okutsu State Veterans Home.

Riders will meet at the Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium at 9 a.m., a short ceremony will start at 9:30 a.m., and then the drivers will head to the veterans home to salute and celebrate the residents at 10 a.m.