By Mike Donahue

Moapa Valley Progress

The American Legion color guard proudly leads the Veterans Day Parade in downtown Overton on Friday, November 11. Photo by Vernon Robison.

Hundreds of spectators turned out lined the main street in Overton last Friday to view the 2011 Veterans Day parade and enjoy a Community Veterans Day picnic in Overton Park. People began staking sidewalk space on Moapa Valley Boulevard by 9 a.m. on Friday securing favorite watching spots for the parade that, this year was officially to end at 11:11 a.m. on 11/11/11.

Dr. Larry Moses played the national anthem at the announcing booth a few minutes before the 10 a.m. start time and, as always, the Metro Police helicopter kicked things off with a quick flyover down the street.

As the parade started this year, Kristine McCormick, who is operating Dalley’s Barber Shop, began donating $2 from every haircut of the day to be used by the Moapa Valley Elwood Perkins Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 8336 in a military service program.

Among other uses, the money helps provide free phone calls home for deployed troops, grants for hardship cases and assistance to needy military families. McCormick plans to leave the donation jar in place in the shop for the next few weeks for those who would like to donate.

Additionally, on Saturday, McCormick gave free haircuts to all veterans. Twelve took advantage of her generosity and patriotic spirit.

Cowboy In Training. A youngster on a pony leads a group of St. John’s Ballet Folklorico dancers at the Veterans Day parade. Photo by Vernon Robison.

The parade was led by American Legion Diamond Jubilee Post 75 color guard that included John Bishop, Vilas Moffett, Frank Johnson, Josh Slight, Don VanMiddendorp, Bill Pickett and Randy Wendt. Heber Tobler, owner/operator of Home Hardware and Variety, was grand marshal of this year’s parade.

Spectators included many veterans including some in uniform from their service years, as well as proud parents watching their children march or ride in the parade paying respects to the hundreds of thousands of active duty and former service members.

Parade participants included the Moapa Valley Rotary Veterans Float, St John’s Ballet Folkorico, VFW Post 8336 and Ladies Auxiliary, Mack Lyon Middle School Cheerleaders, the Moapa Valley Empowerment High School band, Moapa Valley High School Cheer, Overton Ace Hardware, Girl Scout Troop 254, Cub Scout Pack 326, Cactus Cruiser Car Club, Cinderella Girls, Moapa Valley Children’s Choir, Backyard Bandits, Permanent Learning Solutions, Lake Mead Baptist Church, Cub Scout Pack 432, law offices of Carmine Colucci and Teresa Holzer, Cub Scout Pack 26, Yards by Jodi, the local volunteer fire stations, Lin’s Market, Qualheim Insurance, Karen Alsum’s Farmers Insurance, J.R. Simplot Silica Products, Adventure Glide, Valley Service, EMS Racing, Sage Plumbing, CSM Garren Fulmer carrying the POW/MIA flag and the 2011 Clark County Rodeo Queen Carley Alexander and Princess Shiley Blackwell.

A highlight of the parade was a 132-cadet contingent of the Cheyenne High School Junior ROTC Marching Unit under the direction of retired 1st Sgt. Randy Horton, 1st Sgt. Maria Vega and MSgt. Mike Knutsen. The group marched by to loud cheers from many spectators.

“Every year we go to a different town to march on Veterans Day and today was Moapa Valley,” Horton said. We’ve had a great time and maybe we’ll return next year.”

Several hundred hungry residents and Veterans Day Parade participants turned out to enjoy hot dogs and hamburgers at the picnic last Friday sponsored by the Moapa Valley Chamber of Commerce. Photo by Mike Donahue.

Following the parade, the vast majority of participants and spectators went to the Overton Park to enjoy a picnic hosted by the Moapa Valley Chamber of Commerce.

VFW Post 8336 members David Fox, Chuck Riley, Charlie Jamison and Dan Beckdal posted the colors at the picnic after an introduction by Bruce Hollinger, state VFW commander. Fox offered the invocation.

A picnic of potato salad, hot dogs, hamburgers and all the fixings was provided by Lin’s Market. Moapa Valley Rotary provided the manpower to cook and serve the meal.