Niwot celebrates Veterans Day a bit differently

In 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, all fighting as a result of World War I officially ended with the signing of an armistice with Germany. Since then, it has been a day around the world to remember those events and those who served. In 1954, various veterans' organizations within the United States banded together to have Armistice Day be renamed to Veterans Day.

While Memorial Day honors those who died while in the military service.Veterans Day celebrates all who have served.

In previous years, Niwot has had a banner day for veterans, performances from the Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band, among other local activities, including walking tours of the town to view the banners. But with COVID still proving to be rampant and Governor Polis's request that families stay with their households as much as possible, the town had to adapt.

On Nov. 8, the Niwot Community Association, with assistance from the Niwot Business Association and other community groups, came together to host another banner day. Cottonwood Square near Niwot Market was filled with a respectful but socially distant crowd, all of whom were wearing masks.

While both the Niwot Market and the Niwot Cookie Moms volunteered food for the event, because of COVID, those items were respectfully declined. Additionally, the official walking tours were canceled. NCA president David Limbach encouraged participants to check out the banners on their own. "We would start by leading walking tours, but due to COVID, we're not going to encourage people to get near each other," he said.

"This is really an NCA-driven event and without his [Limbach's] leadership, it wouldn't really happen," NBA president Eric Bergeson said.

Limbach credited Bergeson and the NBA for the success of the banners, which went up in mid-October, and will be up for another week. Last year there were 27 banners, but now there are 54, with 10 more families signed up for a banner for next year. Each banner has a photo and a brief summary of men's and women's military service with extended biographies available at http://www.Niwot.org/veterans.

The Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band played the national anthem while local Boy Scouts presented the flag. There was also a patriotic quilt that was raffled off, and the announcement that membership for current NCA members will automatically continue through 2021.

When asked about what they liked most about the event, Limbach made note of the community feel and read about the various veterans. "From my point of the view, like most things in Niwot, but particularly this event, is the volunteerism," said Bergeson. "That's what makes Niwot special. It's nice to see people come out and do this stuff."

After the announcements from Limbach, some of the crowd dispersed and others stayed to listen to the band play classic patriotic songs including the official anthems of each of the branches of military services, "Stars & Stripes Forever," "Semper Fidelis," "America" and "You're a Grand Old Flag."

Lulu Davis, a spectator, said, "My husband and I always try to find at least one Veterans Day event to attend... This one is far more intimate. Before it's like big parades, and this one is just far nicer."