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Veterans Day Parade

By Steve Mocarsky smocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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A warm fall day helped boost attendance at Wyoming Valley Veterans Day Parade on Sunday, resulting in a greater show of support for the area’s servicemen and women, past and present.

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Veterans of Foreign Wars members make their way across the Market Street Bridge.

S.John Wilkin/The Times Leader

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James Horwath, 6, and Dennis Horwath watch the Veterans Day parade.

S. John Wilkin photos/The Times Leader

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U.S. Naval Reservist Capt. Anthony Batko, of the Naval Operational Support Center in Avoca, served as reviewing officer for this year’s parade, which, comprised of eight divisions, began at 2 p.m. and traveled down Market Street from Rutter Avenue in Kingston to Public Square in Wilkes-Barre.

“I noticed there were more floats this year and more people out there. It was probably weather-related, but it’s nice to see as many people out today,” Batko said after the parade.

Luzerne County Commissioner Steve Urban, who as a U.S. Army veteran joined officials on the reviewing stand on Public Square, said he wanted to “thank the people of Luzerne County and the Wyoming Valley for their tremendous show of support.”

“Veterans Day is on Wednesday and I just want to salute all my fellow veterans here, not only in Luzerne County, but through the commonwealth and the United States and thank them for their service from the bottom of my heart,” Urban added.

Michael Shay, 38, of Newport Township, said he and his wife, Christine, and their son Brandon, 3, attended because their other children Peter, 8, and Erica, 9, marched with their Scout troops, “and it’s a nice day to come down today and support the troops.”

Christine Shay, 39, said the parade was “bigger than I expected. With all the fraternal and civic organizations that turned out, it was very impressive,” she said.

Peggy Koslosky, 45, of Wilkes-Barre, said she brought her grandson Kaiden Wilde, 3, “because it’s Veterans Day (on Wednesday) and it’s a nice day. I wanted to bring my grandson so he could see all the big trucks,” she said.

There were plenty of big trucks, including fire engines and military vehicles, in this year’s parade, said retired U.S. Navy Lt. Commander Susan Allen.

“We were saluting our heroes past and present, so there were a lot of restored antique military vehicles representing veterans from the past. … Each group that came through had something saluting veterans,” said Allen, a member of the parade committee and chairwoman of the essay contest subcommittee.

“How a Veteran Past or Present Has Inspired Me” was the theme for the 2009 Wyoming Valley Veterans Day Parade and the essay contest, now in its third year, Allen said.

All schools in the Wyoming Valley were invited to participate in the contest, which awarded checks for $50, $100 and $250 for third- through first-place winners in three age groups.

First- through third-place winners in the fourth-and-fifth-grade category were Evan Butcofski, Marlee Dillon and Raymond Centanni, of Lake Noxen, Fairview and Dallas elementary schools, respectively.

First- through third-place winners in the sixth- through eighth-grade category were Grace Schaub, Brooke Bullek and Ross Kleinman, of Dallas and Hanover Area middle schools and United Hebrew Institute, respectively.

First- through third-place winners in the high school category were Amelia Poplowski, Brandon Kelley and Ann Marie Karis, of Coughlin, Lake-Lehman and Hanover Area high schools, respectively.

All of the finalists and their families were invited to brunch at the Black Diamond American Legion before the parade and the first-place winners read their essays.

Poplowski told the story of her aunt, Fern Klaproth, a nurse who won the World War II Victory Medal for her service, and how her aunt inspired her. The senior at Coughlin introduced her aunt, who also attended the brunch.

Butcofski brought his grandfather, Vietnam veteran Leonard Scavone, and read how Scavone’s being wounded three times “inspired me to be a good, respectful American.”

Schaub wrote about the service of her grandfather, L.B. Schaub, in World War II and his interment at Arlington National Cemetery.

“She had her mother in tears as she was reading it,” Allen said of Schaub. “These kids write some really touching essays.”

Allen, who will chair next year’s parade committee, said a theme for the 2010 parade will be picked by July and schools will be contacted by August. Interest is already building in the contest and in the parade itself, she said.

“We are getting more and more floats each year. We had an influx of companies expressing interest who didn’t contact us in time to participate this year. Hopefully, next year’s is going to be even bigger and better,” Allen said.

GET INVOLVED

Anyone interested in participating in, volunteering for or making a donation to the 2010 Wyoming Valley Veterans Day Parade should write a letter with contact information to the Parade Committee, c/o the 109th Field Artillery, 280 Market St., Wilkes-Barre, 18704-5408.