NORMAN — Less than two months after unveiling its Field of Honor, Richmond County’s northernmost municipality will be honoring local veterans.
The town of Norman is hosting a Veterans Day Service on Monday, Nov. 11, starting at 3 p.m., to recognize those who have served in the armed forces.
Guest speakers for the service are retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Donna Craven Harbolt, a Norman native, and Zebulon Steele, a retired Air Force master sergeant. Steele is also a retired television producer who has chronicled the Field of Honor for a documentary.
The event will also include free hot dogs and hamburgers.
The Field of Honor was approved by the Norman Town Council in 2023 and unveiled this past September. It features the names of more than 200 Richmond County residents who served in the military.
Click here to read more about the Field of Honor.
There are several other Veterans Day events lined up in the coming days.
The town of Dobbins Heights will host its annual service at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 8, at the community center with Larry Hall, former state secretary of Military and Veterans Affairs, as the guest speaker.
There are also three events scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, starting with the annual service at Veterans Memorial Park in Rockingham, sponsored by the county’s veterans organizations including American Legion Post 147, VFW Post 4203 and AMVETS Post 316.
The speaker for that event is Monica Lockwood, chaplain of the American Legion Department of North Carolina. Lockwood, of Cherryville, served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1966-68 and has been active with the American Legion since 1997.
Following that will be a concert from Mark McKinney and Company and a parachute demonstration by the All Veteran Group Jump Team starting at 1 p.m. in the parking lot across from the downtown campus of Richmond Community College and Hudson Brothers Deli.
Rockingham Dragway is also hosting Freedom at the Rock, a free track day for veterans and active military personnel, as well as first responders, on Saturday.
In addition to drag racing, the event is scheduled to include a car show, flyover, parachute jump — also by the All Veteran Group — and Humvee race. Gates open at 8 a.m.
Richmond County Hospice held its annual Salute to Veterans on Friday Nov. 1. See the RO’s Facebook page for photos from that event.
