The newest names on the Hope Veterans Memorial are now being placed on the east side of the memorial in Hope Moravian Cemetery.
Photos by Mark Webber | The Republic
HOPE — Hope will honor veterans on Veterans Day with a program at 8 a.m. Thursday in the Hauser Jr.-Sr. High School gymnasium.
The annual program is always organized by advanced government students who are being assisted this year by teacher Bob Nobbe, said A.C. Reeves of American Legion Post #229 in Hope.
Hauser students have frequently been in charge of commemorative programs, and student-led prayer often takes place.
Chairs will be set apart on the gym floor to allow social distancing of veterans and the public, who are invited to attend, Reeves said.
Normally, high school students watch the veteran’s program from the bleachers, while the Hope Elementary students sit on the gym floor.
However, school officials said most students will watch a livestream of the observance from their classrooms, due to concerns regarding the COVID-19 virus.
One of the highlights of this year’s observance will be an audio/visual display of historical items and documents from the Flatrock-Hawcreek area, Reeves said. The entire student-led program is expected to last about an hour, he said.
American Legion Post #229 in Hope will be posting colors for the event, Reeves said.
Following the event, attendees are invited to Willow Leaves of Hope, located along Jackson Street on the north side of the town square. All veterans will be treated to a free breakfast.
Since Veteran’s Day is a time to honor former military, the Veteran’s Memorial located in the Hope Moravian Church is likely to attract many visitors on Thursday.
When the memorial was first dedicated in 2000, there were about 500 names on the west side of the memorial wall. All represent now-deceased Hope-area residents who had served in the military.
Today, the entire west side of the memorial is filled with the names of about 800 veterans. New names are now being inscribed into the memorial’s east side.
