Veterans Day will be observed a new way indowntown Brookhaven this year as local officials have come togetherto organize a special event to honor veterans and active-dutymembers of the United States military in the community.

    “The community has been without a veterans’ appreciation event thelast few years,” said Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of CommerceExecutive Vice President Cliff Brumfield. “The chamber wanted towork with the city and the county to put together an event with theintention of honoring the large number of families within thecommunity who have military ties.”

    Brumfield, partnering with Mayor Les Bumgarner and Chancery ClerkTillmon Bishop, said plans are to have a lunch celebration Friday,Nov. 11, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Railroad Park. The celebrationincludes a guest speaker from the military, a color guard and musicentertainment.

    Brumfield said the guest speaker has not been confirmed yet, and heis looking into local music artists to provide entertainment.

    “People of the military and the general public are encouraged totake a few hours of the their time, bring a sack lunch or take-outfrom their favorite local restaurant and show their appreciationfor the armed services,” Brumfield said.

    Also involved in the Veterans Day celebration is Army NationalGuard Staff Sergeant Jason Gaskin, who plans to bring militaryitems for people to observe.

    “Cliff (Brumfield) approached me to see if we wanted to be involvedand we absolutely wanted to support it,” Gaskin said. “We wantpeople to come out and say ‘thank you’ to our veterans.”

    Gaskin, the recruiter for Lincoln and Lawrence counties, said heintends to invite about 200 local military personnel to come to theevent. In addition, he will have two military tents set up inRailroad Park and hopes to showcase military vehicles and weaponsas well.

    “We want to have something for people to look at and ask questionsabout if they want to,” Gaskin said.

    Brumfield explained other military related holidays such asMemorial Day and the Fourth of July were considered for the event,but Veterans Day was chosen because more people are in town to comecelebrate.

    Bishop said he couldn’t think of a better day for recognition forthe country’s military servicemen and women.

    “My dad was military, and he never wanted any recognition,” Bishopsaid. “But he deserved it. And all our veterans and active membersdeserve to be recognized, too.”

    Bishop touted the heroics and sacrifices of veterans who madetoday’s American lifestyle possible.

    “The only reason anybody can do anything they want to do in thiscountry is because of the military,” he said. “We’d all be speakinga different language if it wasn’t for them.”

    Bishop continued about his hopes for the event.

    “It’ll be a fellowship kind of thing,” he said. “We hope a lot ofpeople come out to talk to these guys (veterans) and listen to whatthey have to say.”

    Brumfield said volunteers put on the event, which is non-sponsored.He added organizers are not seeking financial support.

    “We hope this will just grow in interest from year to year,” hesaid. “People are in town. The weather is usually nice this time ofyear. We’d like for it to become an annual thing.”