Veterans Day celebrations around Nassau County

Leah Jones

For the News-Leader

On Friday, Nov. 11, we take a day to honor all those who have served in our country’s military. With King’s Bay Naval Base to our north and Naval Air Station Jacksonville to the south, there are many military members and veterans in our community. Here are a few local events you can attend to celebrate our service members past and present.

Veterans Day Fun Run

• Nov. 11, 9 a.m. to noon
• 1 North Front St., Fernandina Beach
• Join in on the second annual Veterans Day Fun Run on Amelia Island in conjunction with K9 Warriors and Cross the Line Paddle for Veterans of Fernandina Beach.
• Registration starts at 8 a.m., and the run starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 11 a.m. The run will start and finish at parking lot "A " downtown. The "course" will be east on Centre Street to Atlantic Avenue to the Main Beach turnaround, with an optional one-mile beach run to feel the resistance and ability to overcome what veterans over the years have.
• Fifty percent of the profits will go to Cross the Line scholarships and the other 50% going to K9 for Warriors. Participants will receive a performance t-shirt and a medal.
• Immediately following the completion of the run, there will be a small ceremony in parking lot A (start/finish point), ending with a moment of silence at 11:11 a.m. to celebrate the Armistice of the first world war. Runners will be provided a light snack, fruit and water.
• Find out more at Crossthelinefoundation.com under “events.”

Veterans Day Paddle and a Pint - Paddle Jax Amelia

• Saturday, Nov. 12, 9:30 a.m.
• Benefiting Cross the Line Foundation
• Melton O. Nelson Park, 463540 SR 200, Yulee
• Half of all proceeds will be donated to Cross the Line Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that supports veterans from all branches of service, raising awareness of veteran-related issues and causes. Funds raised will help with their 2023 row in the Pacific Ocean for K9s for Warriors. You can find out more about Cross the Line Foundation at www.crossthelinefoundation.com.
• The schedule for events are:
• 9:30 a.m. Flag retirement ceremony led by resident Eagle Scout.
• 10 a.m. Begin two-hour self-guided tour of Lofton Creek.
• Noon. Meet up at SJ Brewery Company for a celebratory drink and pizza.
• There will be a raffle for a basket full of swag from different branches of our military, $2 per ticket, with all raffle ticket sales going towards Cross the Line Foundation. Raffle tickets will be sold at the event, or you can message for in person or virtual delivery.
• There is no cost to attend the flag retirement ceremony. This is a beautiful event that everyone should witness at least once. If you have a flag to retire, contact Paddle Jax.
• To sign up, visit www.paddlejaxamelia.com or call 904-404-6758.

Veterans Day Parade

• Friday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. from Central Park.
• You won’t want to miss this patriotic tradition. The annual Veterans Day parade is organized by American Legion Post 54 and held in beautiful downtown Fernandina. The parade will follow the traditional parade route starting in front of Central Park and heading toward the riverfront.

History of the American Soldier

• Nov. 12 at Fort Clinch
• Seating starts at 6 p.m., show is 7-8:30 p.m.
• Step inside historic Fort Clinch for an evening under the stars to salute our armed forces. Watch a timeline review with soldiers and weapons from 1776 to today. The program features period music and weapons demonstrations. Bring blankets and chairs to make your viewing experience more comfortable.
• Admission is a canned food item for Barnabas Food Pantry.
• Presented by the Friends of Fort Clinch. Donations are accepted to support its efforts.
• For more information, call Fort Clinch at 904-277-7274.

A Word with Vets

• Nov. 10, 6 p.m.
• Fernandina Beach Library Branch located at 25 N. Fourth St.
• Come listen to retired Commanders RW Herman and J.R. Sharp as they talk about their time in the military. They will speak about their experiences and how those experiences made them the authors that they are today.
• RW Herman is the author of Against the Current in the Silent Service and J.R. Sharp is the author of Breaking from the Enemy.
• The event will take place on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 6 p.m. at the Fernandina Beach Library Branch located at 25 N. Fourth St.
• Visit nassaureads.com or call 904-530-6500 with questions.
• Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations in order to participate in this program should contact 904-530-6500 or the Florida Relay Service at 800-955-8770 (v) or 800-955-8771 (TDD) at least 72 hours in advance to request such accommodations.