Veterans Day Parade canceled
Shawnee Young, director of the county Veteran Services Department, announced on Thursday morning that the 2022 Veterans Day Parade scheduled for tomorrow on Main Street has been canceled.
Young said the significant rain event expected throughout the county as a result of the hurricane on Florida’s east coast is the reason for the tough decision.
“We don’t take it lightly and we’re not happy about it, but we had to do it for everybody’s safety,” she said of the difficult decision to cancel.
Young spend all week closely watching weather forecasts in the hopes the hurricane’s remnants would move east so the parade could go on, but it became apparent on Thursday that Butler County is in the direct path of the rains all day.
She said marching bands began dropping out of the parade this week, as band directors were hesitant to place students and their instruments in what could be torrential downpours.
Young said many disabled veterans appear in the parade, two World War II veterans were scheduled to ride in an original Bantam Jeep, and the American Legion Riders were slated to appear on their motorcycles.
Also, those brave enough to attend in the rain could not sit on Main Street’s curbs because water could be rushing past.
The parade was canceled instead of postponed because it takes a few weeks to get the city, county and state permits needed to close down Main Street, she said.
“We encourage everyone to thank veterans in different ways tomorrow,” Young said.
The 2023 Memorial Day Parade, Young said, may be expanded to make up for the canceled Veterans Day Parade.
The Veterans Day Parade was the first organized by Young, who took over the Veterans Affairs reins upon the retirement of John Cyprian in January.
“The safety of everyone was of the utmost importance,” Young said
