Veteran’s Parade organizer Bob Kerr and Grand Marshall Clayton McGraw are inviting parade participants and parade goers for this Saturday morning November 9, 2019! If you’d like to be part of the Parade, be at the staging and lineup area at Buford Park between 8 am and 10 am. The Parade will step off at 10 am from Prim Stadium Parking Lot. According to the poster, the Parade path will go east on Houston Street, heading south on Church Street, across the square and continuing south to the Putman St intersection near the ROC. Local citizens are encouraged to turn out for the Parade in a show of honor to local Veterans and to all Veterans of the United States military who have served their country.
For the Parade, Kerr has lined up two marching bands, Lone Oak and Como-Pickton, to provide a drum line and marching music for the Parade. A pianist from the Mt. Vernon area will play patriotic medleys from a trailer in the Parade. There will be a lot of horses including a women’s Equestrian Drill Team which will ride in the parade and provide brief drills. Also, antique and custom car clubs are expected to drive in the Parade. Individuals, families, clubs, teams and groups are invited to join in the lineup.
McGraw, a Korean War-era Veteran, is well known locally for his loyal support of Veterans needs and issues. After forming the idea, he proposed a public memorial for Veterans for Sulphur Springs, and the idea was put into motion. Since then, he has served on numerous committees which designed and installed and is maintaining the Veterans Memorial on Celebration Plaza. A Vietnam-era Marine, Kerr holds the position of Judge Advocate for the United States Marine Corps League local detachment. He also represents Community Seeds for this event. Community Seeds Executive Director is Burt Cooper. The non-profit service organization based in the Lone Oak area oversees and supports the annual Veterans Parade in Sulphur Springs as well as offering assistance in housing and other needs to homeless and disabled Veterans in Lone Oak and other areas.
