A Veteran’s Day Celebration hosted by Nicholls, will take place tomorrow at 11:40 a.m. in the Quadrangle. Sylvia Bolton, veteran’s coordinator on campus, started this celebration in 1996. She has organized this in order to accomplish one thing.

“In one word, to remember,” she said.

“In a few words, to never forget.”

Bolton said a veteran who attended Nicholls, Perry Petrite approached Bolton during her third or fourth year into the position, and said “It’s Veterans Day, no one remembers who we are. Why can’t we do something for Veterans Day?”

“I said ‘Well, I have been thinking about doing it, but never knew exactly how to get into it.’ It was all new to me, so I said, ‘I’ll help you,'” Bolton said.

Since that year, the celebration has grown every year.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars from Thibodaux has also begun to participate, as well as Lt. Col. Richard Elmore with the Thibodaux High School ROTC, who will present the colors and do a 21-gun salute.

Theresa A. Mangiapane, senior vice commander of Louisiana Veterans of Foreign Wars, will be one of the guest speakers for the event. Bolton said Mangiapane was the first woman in Louisiana to be a state commander. Other speakers will be Stephen Lassare of the Veterans of Foreign Wars District 3 and Carroll Robichaux, District 3 VFW chaplain.

“Each year, more and more of the veterans of foreign wars would hear about this program, and they would come to be a part of it. We just love having them here,” Bolton said.

She said veterans are invited to come as a group to Vernon F. Galliano Cafeteria for a meal. She said she invites the color guards and the veterans from foreign wars, and they enjoy getting together at this meal.

There will also be a display in Ellender Memorial Library, which this year is accompanied by a collection of things from a man in Houma. The display will probably remain up through November.

“It will be something to see,” Bolton said. There will be displays from the very beginning of wars, as well as mannequins dressed up in the traditional clothes worn, she said.

Students from E.D. White will lead songs and sing traditional military hymns. Shaun Felger, music senior from Houma, will sing the national anthem, accompanied by the Nicholls Concert Band. Also in attendance will be Thibodaux Mayor, Charles Caillouet, who will speak.

Bolton said it is important that the celebration is held with the students present so they may participate in the program. She said it could make students feel like they are on a military base.

“It is a combination of the veterans of the old wars, decades ago, and our veterans of today that are just getting out of the service and also those who are serving now,” she said.

“It is a feeling of honor, country and patriotism.”

Bolton said the celebration will also include those Americans that were killed and suffered on Sept. 11, due to the terrorist attacks. She said it is important to remember those who are serving now to help the country.