Veterans Day is coming up on Monday and for one annual program in Jefferson, there is a time change to try and draw more people to attend.

Greene County High School senior Sadie Shannon is with the Student Council who is putting on the program, and says it will start at 12:30pm in the auditorium. She tells Raccoon Valley Radio the high school band and choir will perform, followed by reviewing the history of Veterans Day, and then the guest speaker, Greene County Veterans Affairs Director Michael Bierl will give some remarks. Additionally, Shannon notes there will be a Veterans Day video that is produced by Ram News, along with a poem that will be read by Leah McCormick, and a dessert social will be after the program, where students interested in serving in the armed forces can talk with local veterans that are there.

Senior Kate Mobley is also on Student Council and says a new aspect this year is having the Greene County fourth graders prepare thank you pictures that will be given to the veterans during the program. She talks about why she likes incorporating younger students into this annual event.

“I think it’s really nice that we get involved with all the schools and not just our high school, like student council, because I feel like it’s important to show that everyone’s involved in what we doing, and it shows that they care too and not just us, and we’re all involved in planning it.”   

Shannon explains the reason for the time change of the program, from the morning to early afternoon.

“Usually it’s been right off the bat at 8(am), 8:15(am) and we decided to change it because Hy-Vee had (a free) breakfast in the morning (for veterans), and we’d gotten fewer veterans at the high school. And so taking time to plan something and then not many people showing up, we thought if we change it to the afternoon, more would show up.”

No pre-registration is needed for the free program that all area veterans are encouraged to attend, as well as community members.