Holiday yesterday, beach today

Although the official Veterans Day holiday was yesterday, today is the federally observed holiday.

This means no school and no work … for some.

So what to do? Go to the beach.

In an unofficial poll conducted at the Kukui Grove Center yesterday, 20 of the 30 people polled are going to the beach or will participate in beach-related activity.

“I will probably go the beach,” Patty McDonnell of California said yesterday. “But today I thought about my uncle, who fought in the Korean War, and my dad, who fought in World War II.”

As going to the beach was the popular answer, going to work was a close runner-up. When asked what they were planning to do today, many grumbled, “Going to work.”

The least popular response of the day was, “Doing yardwork.”

Yesterday, a Veterans Day memorial service was held at the Kaua‘i Veterans Cemetery in Hanapepe.

Guest speaker Command Master Chief Ronnie Spake of Pacific Missile Range Facility spoke about the history and meaning of Veterans Day.

As part of the Lonesome Grave Project, every grave had a flower courtesy of the West Kaua‘i Hongwaji. The new columbarium was also dedicated.

In observance of Veterans Day, Kaua‘i County offices will be closed today and will resume normal business hours tomorrow. There will be no mail delivery and most financial institutions will remain closed, but check with local branches.