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The West Georgia Veterans Council is set to host its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday.

The ceremony will be held at the Troup County Veterans Memorial near the Troup County Government Center in LaGrange on Friday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m.

The event is held each year on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. in recognition of the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month when the armistice agreement to end World War 1 took effect.

The event is open to the public and everyone is invited to attend, not just veterans and their families.

Retired Col. Bruce Meredith, U.S. Army will serve as the keynote speaker for the event.  Meredith is a veteran of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit with a distinguished career in competition shooting.

The ceremony traditionally lasts about 30 to 45 minutes and includes welcome remarks, a presentation of the colors, group singing, recognition of veterans and the laying of a wreath.

“Veterans Day is a day that we all honor our veterans for the things that they did. A lot gave their life in order for us to have the freedom that we have today and the choices that we make today,” said Army veteran Ron Willis who helped promote the event.

“If it wasn’t for them, where would this country be? Plenty lost their life, a lot of them went through things that they wouldn’t have if they didn’t volunteer to protect our country,” Willis said.

Wills served 29 years of active duty in the Army and has an additional 10 years of service in the National Guard and reserve duty. He first enlisted in 1977 and retired in 2016. Willis currently owns and operates R&B Vintage on Bull Street in downtown LaGrange.

The member organizations of the West Georgia Veterans Council include American Legion Post 75, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 3 and the 1st Sgt. Charles F. Waller Detachment 1040 Marine Corps League.

After the ceremony, veterans and their families are invited to the Elks Lodge on South Davis Road for a free barbecue lunch. The local Elks provide free meals each year to veterans on Veterans Day as a thank-you for their service and sacrifice. The luncheon will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.