Veterans Needed for Memorial Day Parade

by Nathan Lasher

As Memorial Day approaches, Veterans are needed to participate in the Kittanning Memorial Day Parade.

“We are trying to get 200 Veterans to walk or ride for recognition,” said Vietnam Veteran and Parade Organizer Buz Kline. “It seems as though it takes a little bit to get veterans motivated.” Kline went further to say, “Veterans are proud to have served, but, it seems to me that they sort of get complacent about going out for any sort of recognition. I understand that everybody has a busy schedule.”

Kline explained that organizers are trying to plan a grand scene during the parade during which Kittanning Hose Company #6 will display the flags of the branches of service as well as the American Flag on their fire engine in front of the reviewing stand. Veterans would then split to either side of Market Street, and the Kittanning High School Band would march up the street behind the truck and play Armed Forces Salute. Then, the Veterans would go around the fire engine, reform in the front of it, and then go to the Riverfront Park.

“I think that would be some sort of a tribute to them, and then we also have a fly over at 11:15 from the 911^th Air Wing out of Pittsburgh,” said Kline. “So, if this can all be coordinated, it should be coming off at the same time as the fly over.”

According to Kline, they currently have around 42 units scheduled for the parade, the high school band and the fireman’s band is scheduled to perform, six floats from various organizations will be displayed, the Gold Star Mothers will attend, and State Representative Jeff Pyle will make an appearance.

“We’re always in need for people to march,” said Kline. “The parade has come a long way in the three to four years that we’ve been doing it. It’s getting bigger every year. We just try to get more people involved each year to make it a memorial occasion for Kittanning and the whole county. I’m not sure how many World War I Veterans are still there, but we will provide transportation for Veterans who are unable to walk due to some sort of physical disability or age. We’re looking for people from World War I, World War II, Korean, or any conflict that they may have been in with military service just to come out and maybe see some friends that they haven’t seen for awhile.”

There is no sign up to march in the parade as a Veteran. The meeting place for the parade will be at the Kittanning Junior High School on McKean Street at 10AM. The parade will begin at 11AM.

“We’re trying to bring back the memorial tradition that was here 20-odd years ago for parades, and then it sort of took a backseat,” said Kline. “Just recently we’ve started to get it back again, and it’s really come a long way. We just need the participation from Veterans.”

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