LOWELL, MA – November 7, 2008– On Tuesday, November 11, Fifth District Congresswoman Niki Tsongas will join veterans in Dracut Lowell, Chelmsford, and Methuen in honor of Veterans Day.  At each of these events Tsongas will address veterans, their families and the community and will discuss her advocacy for veterans and their family members in Congress and in the Fifth District.  Tsongas will also take part in a support the troops flag raising ceremony at UMass Lowell on Monday morning and a special salute to veterans Friday evening in Hudson.

Since being elected to Congress in a special election last year, Tsongas has set up a Veterans Advisory Committee with local veterans, representatives of their families, as well as those providing veterans with key services in order to maintain close communications with the veterans’ community in the Fifth Congressional District.  She has also supported the G.I. Bill of Rights for the 21st Century to provide free college education to veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, including members of the National Guard and Reserves; and, the single largest increase in funding for veterans health care and benefits in the 77-year history of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

WHO: Michael Peeples, President, Student Veterans’ Organization; Chancellor Marty Meehan; Congresswoman Niki Tsongas; Senator Steven Panagiotakos; Mayor Edward Caulfield; Lt. Col. James Ogonowski; Imogene Stulken, Minister

WHERE:  South Campus of UMass Lowell At the flag pole in front of Dugan Hall 883 Broadway Street Lowell, MA

WHEN:  Monday, November 10 @ 9AM

WHERE:   Veterans' Memorial Park, Broadway Road Dracut

WHEN:  Tuesday, November 11 @ 8:00AM

WHERE:  Polish American Veterans' Hall, 201 Coburn Street, Lowell

WHEN:  Tuesday, November 11, 2008 @ 9AM Breakfast, 10AM Speaking Program, 11 AM Veterans' Day Ceremony

WHERE:  Veterans Day Observance at Chelmsford Veterans Park, North Road, just off Drumhill – beside McCarthy Middle school

WHEN:  Tuesday, November 11, 2008 @ 11 AM  

WHERE: Arnold Greenwood VFW Post 8349 services at the Veterans lot at Elmwood Cemetery, followed by lunch at the Post on River Street in Methuen

WHEN: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 @ 12 PM

WHERE: Hudson Portuguese Club

WHEN: Friday, November 14th @ 7:30 PM