You will be able to honor our area's veterans at a pair of ceremonies to kick off next week. A quadriennial scheduling quirk places both events in Sturgeon Bay. On November 11th at 10 a.m., Sturgeon Bay High School will take its turn hosting the ceremony orchestrated by the Door County's school districts, the Door County Veterans Service Office, and local veterans organizations. Vietnam Veteran Joe Knaapen will deliver the keynote address during the event, featuring performances from the Sturgeon Bay band and choir and a post-ceremony luncheon. During last year's ceremony held at Sevastopol, Door County Farm for Vets President Jacob Vandenplas emphasized during his speech that the humble veterans you see today were fierce defenders of freedom on the battlefield.

Door County will also hold a second ceremony and luncheon on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at the Door County Aging and Disability Resource Center in Sturgeon Bay. For veterans in Kewaunee County, Algoma High School will host its annual Veterans Day luncheon and tribute on Monday beginning at 12:30 p.m., with the meal followed by the program at 1:15 p.m. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 1,900 residents in Door County and 1,300 in Kewaunee County are military veterans, with the majority serving during the Vietnam War.