City of Pasadena to Host Annual Veterans Day Celebration Nov. 11

PASADENA, Calif. - The City of Pasadena Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department (PRCS), in partnership with the Pasadena Veterans Day Planning Committee, will host its annual Veterans Day Celebration Wednesday, November 11, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Pasadena City Hall, 100 N. Garfield Ave. The event will honor the service and sacrifice of the nation's veterans.

This year's celebration recognizes the 250th anniversary of American independence and the legacy of the U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps. The program will honor generations of service members and the women who supported them throughout the nation's history.

The program will be led by Veterans Day Planning Committee Chair Sarah Towne-di Cicco, Honorary Chapter Regent of the Martin Severance Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.

The keynote speaker will be Sandra Rhoten, who served during the Vietnam War from 1969 to 1970 with the American Red Cross Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas. She was one of 627 women selected to support service members in combat zones. Known as "Donut Dollies," these women traveled by helicopter to forward locations to boost troop morale by distributing sundry items, playing Victrola records and serving hot coffee and freshly made donuts. Rhoten later coordinated programs with the U.S. Army in Germany from 1972 to 1975.

A highlight of the celebration will be a Condor Squadron flyover at 11:11 a.m. The event will also feature free hot dogs, interactive exhibits and activities for all ages. Community members are invited to join Pasadena in honoring the nation's veterans and celebrating their enduring legacy.

The event is supported by Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena Management Association, American Legion Posts 13 and 280, Vietnam Veterans of America 446SGV, and the Martin Severance Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution.