Community Corner

Call for Participants in 12th Annual Connecticut Veterans Parade

Nearly 4,000 people participated in the parade last year which made it the largest veterans' parade in New England and one of the biggest in the entire nation.

Connecticut is sending out the call for U.S. veterans, businesses, organizations and individuals to participate in one of the nation’s largest salutes to veterans parades.

The 12th annual “Connecticut Veterans Parade” will step off on Sunday, November 6 at 12:30 p.m. near the State Capitol in Hartford and will proceed through the downtown area.

Last year, nearly 4,000 people marched or rode in the Connecticut Veterans Parade, making it the largest veterans’ parade in New England and one of the biggest in the entire nation.

The colorful parade honors the dedication and sacrifices of servicemen and women from all U.S. conflicts, and offers the state’s residents the opportunity to express their thanks.

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A tolling of church bells and Moment of Silence will occur when the parade pauses in observance of veterans who died while serving their country.

U.S. veterans are encouraged to register now to march or ride in the 2011 Connecticut Veterans Parade. Any Connecticut resident who is an active, retired or honorably discharged member of the U.S. Armed Forces including commissioned officers, warrant officers and enlisted personnel of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Reserves is welcome to participate.

Parade organizers also seek veterans groups, patriotic commissions, local municipalities, and marching bands and drill teams from colleges, high schools and middle schools, as well as pipe & drum and fife & drum corps from all over the state.

Find out what's happening in North Havenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The 2011 Parade Grand Marshal is U.S. Army Corporal Americo “Rico” Pace of West Hartford, a World War II veteran and member of the U.S. Army’s 197th AAA (AW) Battalion. Drafted in 1942 and trained in amphibious, anti-aircraft and anti-tank warfare, Pace was part of the first wave of soldiers who landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France on June 6, 1944, just hours in advance of the D-Day invasion of 160,000 Allied troops.

An active retiree and volunteer at age 89, Pace now balances two part-time volunteer jobs: he is a greeter at Saint Francis Hospital & Medical Center’s visitor's desk, also spends several days a week at the Connecticut State Capitol Building and the Legislative Office Building, where he provides informative tours to tourists, school groups, and other visitors.

Sponsorship dollars are needed by the nonprofit organization of veterans’ groups, corporations, local municipalities, businesses and civic organizations.

To make a financial contribution to help support the parade, checks should be written to:

“Connecticut Veterans Fund”

and mailed to:

Connecticut Veterans Fund

1245 Farmington Avenue  #338

West Hartford, CT  06107


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