The second week of November serves as a reminder each year of how much we owe to the men and women who put their lives on the line for the safety and wellbeing of others.
On Wednesday, Nov. 11, the members of American Legion Post 370 gathered at Highlands’ Veteran’s Plaza to celebrate Veteran’s Day.
Unlike Memorial Day, where Americans take time to recognize and remember those who lost their lives during military service, Veteran’s Day is a time to honor all people who put on their uniform and defended the United States.
Veteran’s Day is marked on Nov. 11 each year because the armistice that ended World War I was agreed to on that date in 1918. The Treaty of Versailles would officially end the war in June of 1919. Originally known as “Armistice Day,” Veteran’s Day became a legal Federal holiday in 1938.
If you see a local veteran out and about this week, stop and take a minute to thank them for their service to our nation. It may be a small token of appreciation, but our country would not be what it is today without those who have answered the call to join the armed forces.
Another group of men and women who put their lives on the line for the general public were also in the spotlight this week as first responders rushed to save a man who had climbed out on the face of Rock Mountain after losing his way on a local trail.
Rescue squads across Western North Carolina are no strangers to emergency calls for stranded or missing hikers, but the rescue of this particular hiker was made more perilous via a series of poor decisions made by the lost man.
After climbing out on a rock ledge, some 500 feet above ground, the man realized he was stranded and could not move in any direction. Fortunately, he was able to call 911 and a team of well-trained rescuers repelled down the mountain to collect the man and bring him to safety.
Volunteering for the rescue squad comes with a lot of responsibility and those who choose to do so also deserve our thanks and appreciation. We should all do our part to make wise decisions and not put ourselves, or our first responders in harm’s way.