Veterans Day: Not just parades, but free meals and deals

Numerous traditional Veterans Day parades and events are taking place around Oregon on Friday – but also, a growing number of restaurants and other businesses are offering free or reduced-price meals or other discounts to veterans and active service members, to honor those who have served our country.

Here is the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs’ list of parades and observances around the state:

http://oregondva.com/blog/2016/10/17/2016-statewide-veterans-day-events/#EventsList

Offers.com has compiled a list of more than 100 Veterans Day free meals and other deals, which you can see here:

http://www.offers.com/blog/post/veterans-day-freebies/

The Pine Tavern in Bend is offering complimentary meals to veterans on Friday as well, continuing its tradition for more than 20 years. The new Currents Restaurant at Riverhouse on the Deschutes is serving half-price lunch to veterans from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday.

Deschutes Brewery is holding its sixth annual Chow Down for Vets, donating $1 from every pint bought that day at its Bend and Portland locations to the Returning Veterans Project. Pastini’s in the Old Mill District also is among those taking part, to help the project’s mission to deliver free, confidential health care to veterans and their families.

And all the deals aren’t about meals. Aspen Lakes Golf Course in Sisters is offering three free days of a free round of golf to any current or former service member, from Friday to Sunday. To play, each golfer is asked to call ahead for a tee time, and wear his or her uniform hat to the golf course.

Also, not all of the offers are only for veterans. For example, the U.S. Forest Service is waving fees at day-use recreation sites across Oregon and Washington in honor of Veterans Day.