LOCAL VETERANS HOST ANNUAL PARADE

The Southeast Missouri State University Color Guard marched through downtown Jackson during the annual parade.

The Jackson High School Marching Band was out in full force during the Veterans Parade.

Wilbert Ruessler, left, Leon Laurentius, Mil Kirn, Glen Bolinger, Tom O'Loughlin, Joe Smith and Harlan Siebert, members of American Legion Post 158 in Jackson, prepared for the parade.

Members of two Jackson veterans' groups honored living military veterans and fallen comrades with a Veterans Day parade.

Members of Jackson's Veterans of Foreign Wars and VFW auxiliary posts as well as the Altenthal-Joerns chapter of the American Legion hosted their annual Veterans Day Parade on the evening of Nov. 11 in downtown Jackson.

An excellent crowd of local residents turned out for the annual parade, which featured about 24 entries including both the Jackson Junior High and Senior High School marching bands as well as bands from Meadow Heights and Oak Ridge. Local Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and other groups helped honor veterans by participating in the parade.

"Our motto in the VFW is 'Honor the dead by helping the living,' and we felt like this was a good way to honor veterans living and dead," said Charlie Shultz, who helped organize the parade. "That's one thing we try to get across to people -- that the parade is a living memorial to those who went before.

"It honors the veterans, particularly the comrades who didn't make the trip home."

Shultz said the parade drew a large crowd.

"We had a pretty good crowd for Veterans Day," he said. "We always have a good crowd at parades in Jackson. I guess we're just hometown proud."

The VFW and American Legion alternate the sponsorship of each year's parade, according to Shultz. This year's event was sponsored by the VFW with the American Legion assisting. Next year, the American Legion will take on the bulk of the work to organize the parade, with some assistance from the VFW.

Following the parade, members of both groups, along with residents from throughout the community turned out for a memorial service held at the American Legion Hall.

In addition to an invocation and singing by the New McKendree Methodist Church Choir, the service featured a keynote address by Kenneth C. McManaman, a local attorney and a captain in the United States Naval Reserve.