Opelika’s Official Veteran’s Day Activities Planned
Monday, November 7th, 2011Every year, for Memorial Day and Veterans Day, the City of Opelika uses the same theme when honoring our area Veterans: Freedom isn’t Free! We use this recurring theme to remind our community that the freedoms we enjoy in America came at a price in the past, and continue to come at a price today! It is our hope that when folks hear these words, “Freedom isn’t Free” they remember the sacrifice made by our brave service men and women across this great land of ours, and pause to give thanks for that service!
The Friday morning festivities (November 11th) will start with the city’s traditional Veterans Day Breakfast, held at the Elks Lodge, located at 1944 Opelika Road, beginning at 8 a.m. You do not need tickets. The breakfast is free to all veterans and their families! We have a very special guest speaker at the breakfast this year: Captain Jody Fuller, of Opelika’s 111th Ordnance Group, which came home from a year’s deployment in Iraq this past January, 2011. This was Captain Fuller’s third deployment to Iraq. When he is not serving his country with the 111th, Jody is a professional comic and inspirational speaker known as “The Stuttering Comic”.
After the annual Veterans Day Breakfast, the city will host its annual Veterans Day Services at the Opelika City Hall, around the Veterans Memorial Monument. These activities begin at 11 a.m. and will feature Mr. Albert Killian as the keynote speaker for the event. The city will also present an official “Proclamation of Thank You” for the service of veterans of the Korean War, carrying on the tradition of issuing official “thank you” proclamations for veterans of each conflict / war.
Mr. Killian is a retired Lt. Colonel who served in the Alabama National Guard and Active Duty for 42 years. He was born in Salem, Lee County and he graduated from Northside Grammar School and Clift High School in Opelika, and from the Alabama Polytechnic Institute (Auburn University). He spent his professional career as a coach, teacher, administrator in the public school system of Alabama, and has held staff positions at Auburn University.
Mr. Killian is the former President of the Museum of East Alabama and, in fact, has a wing of that facility named in his honor. He and his lovely wife have four children and are active members of the First Baptist Church of Opelika.
In case of rain, the services at the Veterans Memorial Monument will be moved inside Opelika’s City Hall into the City Council Chambers.
Every year, for Memorial Day and Veterans Day, the City of Opelika uses the same theme when honoring our area Veterans: Freedom isn’t Free! We use this recurring theme to remind our community that the freedoms we enjoy in America came at a price in the past, and continue to come at a price today! It is our hope that when folks hear these words, “Freedom isn’t Free” they remember the sacrifice made by our brave service men and women across this great land of ours, and pause to give thanks for that service! The Friday morning festivities (November 11th) will start with the city’s traditional Veterans Day Breakfast, held at the Elks Lodge, located at 1944 Opelika Road, beginning at 8 a.m. You do not need tickets. The breakfast is free to all veterans and their families! We have a very special guest speaker at the breakfast this year: Captain Jody Fuller, of Opelika’s 111th Ordnance Group, which came home from a year’s deployment in Iraq this past January, 2011. This was Captain Fuller’s third deployment to Iraq. When he is not serving his country with the 111th, Jody is a professional comic and inspirational speaker known as “The Stuttering Comic”.
Standard Deluxe is a Design and Screen Print Shop located in Waverly, Alabama. Since 1991 we’ve been serving East Alabama and, in fact, the world. In addition to design and print services, Standard Deluxe is the host of the Annual Old 280 Boogie, and has built a reputation as one of the great outdoor venues in the south east. We regularly host renowned national acts as well as great up and coming local artists. We’re very excited about our anniversary shindig this Saturday (NOV. 5th) featuring Alabama’s next Big Thangs … 
Several projects the past few weeks in downtown, plus lots happening on the eating scene too. Several South 8th Street building owners got together and applied for grant money to fix and paint their building fronts. This picture shows the work in progress, which is finished now or close to it. Come on downtown and 
see for yourself. By the way, during the work to prepare the building a bit of history was revealed with the former name of the now Heritage Gifts, A.B. Fleisher “Shoes, Clothes, Hat” under the old green paint. Over on South Railroad, The Gallery is getting some fresh paint and new awning. In the building to the right, work continues on a new downtown 
eatery, Ma Fia’s, with some pretty good Italian foods on the menu. Opening is scheduled for Nov 14th and they plan to be open from 10AM till 10PM. To the left of the Gallery, Eighth & Rail is entering its final two months open with a big music schedule throughout November and December. The building gets a new owner in January and no specific plans have been announced.
