DANBURY, CONN. — The Western Connecticut State University Student Veterans Organization (SVO) will host several events this month to honor veterans. The events are free and open to the public.

A Veterans Day ceremony will take place at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016, in the Campus Center Ballroom on the university’s Westside campus, 43 Lake Ave. Extension in Danbury. After the ceremony, attendees are invited to participate in hanging dog tags on the new Westside dog tag tree adjacent to the Campus Center. This is the university’s second dog tag tree; the first was established in 2015 on the Midtown campus.

A Field of Flags was placed by WCSU veterans, students and staff at the beginning of November on the lawn in front of the Old Main building on the university’s Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. Each of the 7,008 flags represents a service member who has been killed in the line of duty since the War on Terror began on Sept. 11, 2001. The flags will remain on display until Friday, Nov. 18, 2016.

A sunset ceremony to honor service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country will be at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016, at the location of the Field of Flags. During the ceremony, an honorary wreath will be laid at the Veterans Plaque in front of Old Main, and candles will be lit in remembrance. 

Immediately following the wreath ceremony, a meeting of the Veterans Writing Project will be held at 6 p.m. in Room 226 of the Student Center on the Midtown campus. The project is a series of workshops that invite veterans to share their experiences through writing. It is open to all veterans, and affiliation with the university is not required.

Office of Veterans Affairs Coordinator Lt. Matthew Kuchta said while the events are focused on the service of veterans, the public is encouraged to attend. “This is an excellent opportunity to unite the community toward one cause,” he said.

For more information, send an email to kuchtam@wcsu.edu.

Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.