San Rafael, CA – A public in-person Veterans Day celebration is all set for the Marin County Civic Center in San Rafael – with a few strong suggestions from Marin County Public Health that will help reduce COVID-19 risks.
Starting at 9 a.m. on Thursday, November 11, an outdoor ceremony will begin next to the military memorials on Avenue of the Flags, adjacent to Marin Center, hosted by the Marin County United Veterans Council and the Marin County Veterans Service Office. Seating will be slightly more separated than usual for visitors, who are recommended to be vaccinated, wear face coverings, and sit near members of their own household. When visiting before and after the ceremony, those on hand will be asked to respect each other’s personal space, avoid crowding, and keep masks on.
There will not be an indoor ceremony at Marin Center, but an event will be held outdoors in front of the flags and memorials on Avenue of the Flags in San Rafael.The majority of those attending the traditional Veterans Day ceremony in the past have been older adults, and that age group is particularly vulnerable for the negative effects of COVID-19. Public Health urges everyone to consider COVID-19 safety precautions whenever interacting with older adults.
Glenn Ross, president of the veterans council, said coffee and doughnuts will be provided as the ceremony gets underway, followed by a few guest speakers and the placing of wreaths. The event will conclude by marking the 11th hour of the 11th day of November, when World War I officially ended in 1918. The playing of “Taps” is to begin precisely at 11:11 a.m.
There will not be an indoor gathering at the Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium.
To accommodate the Veterans Day event, the Thursday Farmers Market at the Marin Center parking lot will be moved to the Civic Center lot on Peter Behr Drive, the same location as the regular Sunday Farmers Market.
A year ago, COVID policies required the event be restricted to a small number of in-person participants. A few members of the Veterans Council laid wreaths at the statues and the proceedings were livestreamed on the internet. Public Health officials credit high vaccination rates in Marin for making it possible for more people to attend the ceremony of remembrance this year.
“We are thrilled that Marin’s high rate of vaccination and low rates of COVID-19 transmission makes it possible to gather safely to pay tribute to those who served their country in uniform,” said Kari Beuerman, Assistant Director of the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Social Services Division, which includes the Veterans Services Office.
The Marin County Veterans Service Office has remained open throughout the pandemic and is equipped to serve the more than 11,000 local military vets and their families who might need assistance with filling out forms and connecting to mental health services, medical services, social services, tuition aid at local colleges, pensions, military discounts, and death benefits. Most appointments are being managed by phone or email.
A key role of the office each fall is directing vets to federal Veterans Administration health services for free seasonal influenza and shingles vaccines.
Learn more on the Veterans Service Office website or by emailing the office staff. The phone number is (415) 473-6193. Office hours are Mondays through Thursdays, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.