By LAURA ROBISON
The Progress
The annual Moapa Valley Veterans Day parade was held on Saturday, Nov. 11, as it is every year. But this year brought a change of venue. Because of construction going on in downtown Overton, local residents instead lined St. Joseph Street in Logandale to honor and celebrate the heroes of past and present. The event was sponsored by Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8336.
Rick Houston and Alicia Bush were the announcers this year. Together they told the crowd about each entry as it passed by, entertaining the crowd with music as well.
There were 37 participants with entries from Veterans groups, Grand Marshal, VFW Post 8336, Flags Up, dancers, marching band, ROTC groups, school groups and many businesses, all paying tribute to local veterans.
Led by local Metro police, the parade began with the Veterans Tribute JROTC Color Guard, followed by the 2023 Grand Marshal Cletis Day. Following close behind was the VFW Post 8336 Commander, as well as POW/MIA Float with an empty table and chair.
The parade continued with many cheers and applause as each entry passed by. It ended with the traditional big equipment rigs of Overton Power District, Simplot Silica, and of course police and Moapa Valley Fire District district with all the flashing lights and sirens.
“The parade went off very well,” said VFW Post 8336 quartermaster Phillip Mullins. “The community accepted the route change and there were still just as many enthusiastic proud Americans in attendance. But we are looking forward to being in downtown Overton again next year.”
“We are very grateful to everyone who gets involved and volunteers to help us do this every year,” Mullins added. “It is great to see so many people here to support us, and all the veterans.”
Logandale residents Steve and Joy Barlow said that they never miss the parade. This year they had four family members participating; a daughter and niece on the Pirate Motion Dance team, and a son and nephew in the MVHS band.
“We don’t care where the parade is held as long as we can support our veterans,” Steve Barlow said.
As the parade ended, the audience was encouraged to attend the community picnic, this year at the Clark County Fairgrounds right after the parade.
Once there, five-year-old Elijah House led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem. House knew all the words, and received cheers and applause from the crowd.
The picnic with hamburgers, chips and water is organized by the Chamber of Commerce. The Moapa Valley Rotary Club did the cooking and volunteers from the FFA Moapa Valley chapter served it up to the crowd.
Veterans are aways served first, with Grand Marshal Cletis Day leading the queue. The Overton resident is 96 years old and served in the USAF in Korea from 1950-1953.
“It is an honor to be chosen for this,” Day said. “I love my country and proudly served.”
Chamber president Bernie Conrique is an Army Veteran who served two and a half tours in Iraq, and earned a purple heart and an Arcom ribbon for valor.
“This community is a special place,” he said. “I loved the parade and all the the volunteers who donate and help the local veterans.”
Bob Kuzcera, ‘Biker Bob’, is a veteran himself and always brings donated gifts and prizes to veterans at the picnic. “I’ve been doing this over 20 years, and it is my pleasure to do what I can to meet with and honor those who sacrificed so much,” Kuczera said.
MV Rotary President Reed Werner and his team cooked up the hot and delicious hamurgers for the picnic crowd. “This year we split up so some of us could be here to get things started, while we also had a float in the parade,” Werner said. “We support this community, and will keep doing as much as we possibly can.”
