Lyon College will honor veterans and military service members with its annual Veterans Day ceremony on Monday, Nov. 11, inviting the community to come together in a public tribute.
The ceremony, beginning at 11 a.m., will be held in the Sloan Auditorium of the Brown Fine Arts Building on Lyon’s Batesville campus. Retired Rear Adm. Robert Carius will deliver the keynote address. Adm. Carius, a distinguished U.S. Navy veteran, served 34 years as a decorated naval aviator. His career highlights include six deployments to the South China Sea during the Vietnam War, participating in Apollo X and Skylab II recovery missions, and commanding de-mining operations in Haiphong Harbor, Vietnam, for which he received two Legion of Merit awards.
After the ceremony, Lyon College will offer a complimentary barbecue lunch for veterans, active-duty military members, and their families. Community members are also invited to join the meal for a $10 donation, with all proceeds supporting Lyon’s veterans’ programs.
Adm. Carius’ deep commitment to service extends into the Batesville community. He has actively contributed to local initiatives, including overseeing a water treatment project as president of the Dota Water Association and transforming historic sites like the Barnett building through the Batesville Downtown Foundation.
“Veterans Day is a time to recognize and express gratitude for the sacrifices made by those who served in the military,” said Pamela Palermo, Lyon College’s senior director of conferences and event services. “We are proud to honor our veterans and their families with this special program.”
In addition, the college will showcase veteran-owned businesses at the event. Interested business owners can reach out to Pamela Palermo at pamela.palermo@lyon.edu for more information.
The event will take place at 2300 Highland Rd., Batesville, and is open to the public.
Attendees are encouraged to RSVP for the Veterans Day ceremony and barbecue by clicking here.
