GETTING OUT

Veterans of the armed forces can celebrate, and be celebrated, at three Veterans Day events in Mason County.

Disabled American Veterans Chapter 60 of Shelton hosts a breakfast and Veterans Day ceremony from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday at Memorial Hall, 210 W. Franklin St., downtown Shelton. Trevor Severance of the Mason County Sheriff's Office is the guest speaker, and members of the Shelton NJROTC will participate in the ceremony.

Veterans will be honored at a ceremony from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Blue Star Memorial Monument at the Evergreen Garden Club Gardens in Belfair, between state Route 3 and Dairy Queen. During the event, the Kiwanis Club of North Mason and the Big 19 Scout Troop will retire the current American flag and raise a new flag at the monument.

Local vocalists join together as the Songs of Freedom Choir to perform a free concert of patriotic music to honor veterans at 7 p.m. Friday at Shelton Presbyterian Church, 1450 E. Shelton Springs Road in Shelton. The event includes the presentation of colors and a salute to veterans, where every veteran is invited to stand and be recognized during the service song of their military branch. For more information, call Beth Johnston at 360-432-9677.

Mason County veterans' organizations also invite veterans who are homeless or in need to attend the Stand Down 2023 event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 17 at Memorial Hall in downtown Shelton. Breakfast will be served, cold weather clothing and supplies will be distributed, and service officers will be on hand to provide information on resources. If you can't attend the event, the services are available between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursdays. For more information, go to MasonCountyVeterans.com.