The annual Cumberland County Veterans Parade celebrates the county’s large veteran population Saturday.
Veterans Parade Chairperson Terry Mitchell said the county has one of the largest densities of veteran residents in the state. Mitchell said it is important to have an event where civilians can show appreciation for the sacrifices that veterans have made.
“I feel pretty honored to be able to do it on behalf of our veterans here,” Mitchell said. “As a veteran myself and a former military officer, a retired military officer, I feel that I’m still serving the veterans that I led while I was in the military.”
Mitchell said vets turn out to the parade both to participate and watch, many in their retired uniforms. The event begins at 10am Saturday.
“I consider the families of veterans having made the same sacrifices at home while their veteran has been deployed,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell said that many of the floats are homemade and some have become crowd favorites.
“The Cumberland County Young Marines do every year, I don’t know if they’ll do it again this year, but they’ll usually have a truck pulling a wagon with some of the marines posed as an Iwo Jima memorial,” Mitchell said. “And that always gets a lot of applause.”
Mitchell said the junior ROTC program will have several of its members wearing World War I uniforms. Mitchell said each of their participants will also be carrying service flags for each one of the branches of United States military service.
Remax Finest Realty will also be offering a free three-course spaghetti dinner for all parade participants and veterans after the parade.
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