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Inverness' Main Street will fill with high school bands and marching units for today's Veterans Day Parade.
By JORGE SANCHEZ
Published November 11, 2004
 VETERANS DAY 2004 Saluting his hero, his sonStories of their sacrifice Jeff Webb: Veterans have earned a real day of remembranceEditorial: Veterans deserve show of support for sacrificesTampa Bay: Stories of their sacrificePinellas: Veterans Day events todayHernando: Back to combat zone, but in peaceCitrus: Parade will salute those who served in Vietnam WarPasco: Survivor of WWII gets new tour of duty
Veterans Day closings
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INVERNESS - A salute to Vietnam War veterans will be the focus of today's Veterans Day Parade, which will begin rolling down Main Street toward downtown Inverness at 10 a.m.
Part of Main Street between Montgomery Avenue and U.S. 41 N will be closed at 8:30 a.m. today to allow the parade to form. This is because area schools, which normally serve as a staging area, are in session today to make up for the days they were closed during the hurricanes. Therefore, parade participants must gather and organize on Main Street.
The length of the parade route on Main Street will be closed at 9:30 a.m. today. Traffic will be rerouted, primarily along Highland Boulevard. The parade will last until about 11 a.m.
The parade will feature the marching bands from Citrus, Crystal River and Lecanto high schools and the marching bands from the three middle schools, said Curt Ebitz, a parade organizer.
There also will be marching units from practically every veterans organization in the county, along with color guards and marching units from the school's ROTC units and the county's Young Marines. Ebitz said about six groups were planning floats.
"There will be from 1,000 to 1,200 people in the parade, and it should take about an hour to pass," he said.
The parade will head south along Main Street, turn at Pine Avenue and end near the Historic Courthouse.
After the parade at about 11 a.m., an 11th Hour Memorial Service will be held at the Old Courthouse Heritage Museum. The keynote speaker will be retired Marine Col. Jerry Berry. He was the pilot of the helicopter that evacuated the U.S. ambassador from the rooftop of the American embassy as Saigon fell to North Vietnam.
Other Veterans Appreciation Week events are:
A fish dinner will be served from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at American Legion Post 155, 6585 Gulf to Lake Highway (State Road 44), Crystal River. Donation $6.
The Military Ball starts at 6 p.m. Saturday at the West Citrus Elks Lodge 2693, 7890 W Grover Cleveland Blvd., Homosassa Springs. The ball is sponsored by the Marine Corps League Citrus Detachment 819 and honors the U.S. Marine Corps' 229th birthday and all veterans. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling 527-5411 or 382-0462.
A Massing of the Colors ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday at Seven Rivers Presbyterian Church, 4221 W Gulf to Lake Highway (SR 44), Lecanto. The ceremony, coordinated by the U.S. Submarine Veterans Sturgeon Base, honors the flag of the United States and those who have defended it.
A free dinner for veterans will be offered after 4 p.m. Monday at the Golden Corral at 2605 E Gulf to Lake Highway (SR 44), Inverness.
[Last modified November 11, 2004, 06:34:36]
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