Veterans Day Program Held in City Auditorium; Featured Speaker Is Madison Lihs

AMES, Iowa - The Ames Patriotic Council will host a Veterans Day program at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 11, at City Auditorium, 520 Sixth St., featuring Staff Sargeant Madison Lihs, a student at Iowa State University studying history and psychology. Lihs is currently serving in the Iowa Air National Guard in the 185th Air Refueling Wing based in Sioux City.

The Veterans Day program will also be streamed live on the Patriotic Council's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/amespatrioticcouncil and on the website at http://amespatrioticcouncil.org. The video will also be available for viewing at later times and days at these addresses.

Lihs, from Clarinda, Iowa, comes from a military family. Her father has served in the Army since 1991, and her younger sister is an Army medic. The 185th Air Refueling Wing supports in-air refueling missions using KC-135 Stratotankers. In 2022, Lihs was deployed to Kuwait, where she earned the Air and Space Achievement Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. At Iowa State, Lihs has led the Student Veterans of America chapter as club president and advocated for veterans on campus.

Ames Patriotic Council President Tim Gartin will introduce the Veterans Day program. Ames Mayor John Haila will offer a welcome from the City of Ames, and Post Commander Cliff Barker will offer a welcome from American Legion Post #37. The colors will be presented by the ISU Reserve Officers' Training Corp (ROTC) Color Guard. The program will include musical performances by singer Jim DeHoet and the Heart of Iowa Senior Band led by Gary Fry, including a new arrangement of America the Beautiful. The Ames High School Concert Chorale will also be featured. Roger Elliott will offer opening and closing prayers. All veterans from all services and all periods will be honored.

Most City of Ames departments and divisions, including Ames Public Library, will be closed on Monday, Nov. 11, in recognition of Veterans Day. The exceptions include:

• The Community Center, located in City Hall, 515 Clark Ave., will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Ames/ISU Ice Arena will be open for stick and helmet from 5:45 to 7:15 a.m., public skate from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and figure freestyle from 2 to 4 p.m. For more Parks and Recreation schedules, visit www.CityOfAmes.org/prcalendars.
• CyRide buses will run a regular weekday schedule. For more information about bus schedules, visit www.cyride.com.
• Administrative offices at the Resource Recovery Plant, 110 Center Ave., will be closed, but the tipping floor will be open for regular service from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Story County Clerk of Court Office and the District Associate Court, located in Ames City Hall, also will be closed.

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