Several area events are slated for this week in celebration of Veterans Day, which is today.

Here are some of the events:

* The Kootenai County Veterans Council will host a ceremony at 2 p.m. at the Veterans Plaza at the west end of McEuen Park.

During the event there will be a flag-raising ceremony, various speakers, including Mayor Steve Widmyer and the dedication of the new Freedom Tree. It will be hosted by American Legion Post 14 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 889.

For information, contact the Kootenai County Veterans Council at 818-8868.

* The City of Hayden's annual Veterans Day events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade.

Herbert "Bud" Kirchoff will be honored as Hayden's Distinguished Veteran of the Year. Kirchoff, a U.S. Army veteran and World War II prisoner of war, will also serve as grand marshal of the parade and will be the guest speaker at the city's Veterans Day Ceremony.

The parade will run south on Government Way from Hayden Avenue to Nita Avenue.

Following the parade, the Veterans Commission will hold the 2014 Veterans Day and Distinguished Veteran of the Year ceremonies at Hayden City Hall. Immediately after the ceremonies, refreshments will be served in the council chambers.

Government Way from Hayden to Nita avenues will be closed from 10-11 a.m. for the parade. Government Way from Orchard to Honeysuckle avenues will continue to be closed until approximately 12 p.m., when all Veterans Day ceremonies are finished.

Info: www.cityofhaydenid.us or 209-1080

* Rathdrum will host a program at the Pinegrove Cemetery at 11 a.m.

* Post Falls School District events include: 7:30-8:30 a.m., Post Falls High School, breakfast; 9 a.m., River City Middle School assembly; 9:30 a.m., Ponderosa Elementary assembly; 1 p.m., Post Falls Middle School assembly; 2:05 and 2:35 p.m., Prairie View Elementary assemblies; and Frederick Post KinderCenter will be constructing a giant flag from paper stars featuring veteran service information provided by students.

* Lakeland Joint School District programs include: 8:25 a.m., Timberlake High assembly; 9:43 a.m., Lakeland High assembly; 9:45 a.m., Timberlake Junior High assembly; 1 p.m., John Brown Elementary assembly; 1:15 p.m., Spirit Lake Elementary assembly; 1:30 p.m., Betty Kiefer Elementary assembly; 2 p.m., Lakeland Junior High assembly; and Mountain View Alternative School will have presentations in each class.

Garwood Elementary School will have Veterans Day instruction in every classroom. Students will be raising funds for Newby-ginnings, a Coeur d'Alene-based outreach for veterans' families. Photos of vets students know will be posted on a wall to honor their service. Letters will be written in each classroom to give to veterans who visit. Leftover letters will be sent to an outreach which sends them to vets serving outside the area.

WEDNESDAY

LAM Christian Academy in Coeur d'Alene will hold an assembly at 2 p.m.

THURSDAY

Ramsey Magnet School of Science in Coeur d'Alene will hold assemblies at 1 and 6 p.m.