Residents are invited to honor those who have served in the military Saturday, during a Veterans Day ceremony at the San Marcos All-Veterans Memorial.

The free event will run from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in Helen Bougher Memorial Park at Woodland Parkway and Borden Road. The San Marcos All-Veterans Memorial Committee, the Veterans of Foreign Wars post, and the city are sponsoring the ceremony.

Committee Chairwoman Luanne Hulsizer said Thursday that the event will be casual with a color guard, the raising of American and prisoner-of-war flags, and an address by Mayor Jim Desmond.

Participants also will hear the stories of five veterans whose names are engraved on a Wall of Honor at the memorial and a rendition of the poem "Tattered Old Flag," which is based on the lyrics of the Johnny Cash song, "Ragged Old Flag," she said.

"(That) is always a very moving and inspiring part of the ceremony," Hulsizer said, referring to the poem.

The event will be followed by a 2 p.m. pig roast at VFW 3795, at 212 W. Mission Road. VFW Treasurer Ed Bridges said the meal is well-worth its $10 cost.

"People are in for a treat," he said.

The committee is comprised of volunteers who conceived of the memorial and raised money to build the first part of it. The $250,000 project included construction of a Wall of Honor with engraved plaques that bear the names of veterans who lived in San Marcos.

A landscaped, half-circle walkway, trees and benches were also added to the park as part of the memorial's first phase.

Plans the memorial committee had drawn up several years ago call for a reflecting pool, bronze statues and more engraved plaques to be added during a second phase of construction. The committee recently began trying to raise the estimated $100,000 needed for that part of the project.

The Panera Bread restaurant at 575 Grand Ave. has agreed to help by holding a Nov. 11 fundraiser for the committee. A portion of the proceeds from all meals purchased at the business from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday will be donated to the memorial fund.

The committee is also selling 2-inch memorial coins that can double as paperweights. First distributed to people who attended a dedication for the memorial's first phase, the coins pay tribute to all five military branches on one side, with a picture of the memorial on the other.

The coins, which come in blue velvet boxes, are $50 each, plus a $5 shipping charge for those that are mailed to recipients.

The San Marcos All-Veterans Memorial also continues to sell commemorative tiles on the Wall of Honor for $200 to $500, depending on size.

Call 760-591-4877 or visit www.ci.sanmarcos.ca.us and click "I want to ..." for information.

Call staff writer Andrea Moss at 760-739-6654.