Veterans thanked with downtown Van Buren parade

 

story and photos by Joel Rafkin
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Hundreds of people lined the sidewalks of historic Main Street in Van Buren on Thursday to honor veterans and celebrate Veteran’s Day by watching the Ninth Annual Veteran’s Day Parade.

High school and junior high school marching bands, community organizations, historical re-enactors, emergency vehicles and, of course, veterans took to the street on a mild Nov. 11 evening. The parade began at 6:30 p.m. and lasted about 45 minutes. Many marchers threw candy to eager children who scooped it up off the street. A vendor briskly walked the route selling cotton candy and multi-color lighted wands.

Blanche and Jerry West of Fort Smith came out to watch their grandson march for the first time with the Van Buren High School band. Although neither are veterans, both have family members who have served in the armed forces.

Jerry has two brothers who are military veterans, one of whom died at sea in World War II. Blanche has four brothers who served in the armed forces from the Korean War through Vietnam and in the Army, Navy and Marines.

"It’s a good home town parade," Blanche said of her first outing to a Veteran’s Day parade.

Eddie Ray echoed the West’s comments about the parade.

"I just had a good time meeting the Wests here and it was a nice evening. I was impressed. It’s a good home-town feeling," he said.

Ray came to watch his daughter ride for the first time with the Old Fort Days Dandies which she joined about a month ago.