Veterans honored at annual parade
Dreary weather Wednesday couldn't hold off hundreds of residents and veterans from turning out to see Butler's Veterans Day Parade.
The hour-long parade on Main Street included emergency responders, high school marching bands and veterans and civic clubs which represent and serve members of all four branches of the United States military.
It also showcased some of Butler County's young people with appearances by more than a dozen pageant winners and dozens of ROTC students who marched in uniform to celebrate the holiday.
The culmination of the event was a taps ceremony in Diamond Park by U.S. Marine Corps veterans, complete with a gun salute.
The annual celebration drew well-wishers, government officials and veterans celebrating their fellow soldiers in different ways — from marching in the parade to working to connect them with treatment and services.
“It's all about veterans empowering other veterans,” said Joe Mayo, an Erie resident and U.S. Army veteran who is staying in the domiciliary care unit of the VA Butler Healthcare.
Mayo was surfing the crowds on Main Street trying to help connect veterans with “Veteran X,” a VA program that pairs struggling veterans with other soldiers.
He said the group, which just finished its first year of operation at VA Butler Healthcare, served nearly 200 veterans at its weekly meetings.
Mayo said he hoped Veterans Day would help connect soldiers with each other, and lead them to seek help when needed.But healing isn't just something that happens at the VA. Some said Veterans Day itself is a time of healing.Jim Harff of Butler and a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War, said he attends the parade to socialize with other veterans.Being with other veterans and seeing people acknowledge their service helps Harff deal with his own “bitter” feelings, but he wishes the city's observances were more military-style.“It's kind of a little healing process for me, but a disappointing one,” Harff said. “It (the parade) isn't what it's supposed to be.”Other veterans disagreed, saying they appreciated the Taps ceremony in front of county courthouse.“The best part is right here (in front of the courthouse), being respected by all the civilians,” said Chester McGuire, a Saxonburg resident and U.S. Navy veteran who marched in the parade with the Saxonburg VFW Post 7376.Albert Murray, another Saxonburg VFW member and a U.S. Army veteran, said, “There's just a sense of pride being around all these other people in uniform. You don't really get that on many other days.”Residents who have been attending the parade for years call it a tradition of respect they want to pass on to their children and grandchildren.
Butler residents Margy and George Vorel were doing just that, bringing their grandchildren Caleb, Lochlan and Kaidon out to the parade despite chilly weather and the threat of rain.Margy called Veterans Day observances a tradition that has grown more poignant for her as the soldiers who served in World War II continue to age and their numbers dwindle.“I tear up when I see them,” she said. “I want the kids to understand and honor these awesome people.”George Vorel said his favorite part of the day is watching his grandchildren be amazed by the pageantry of the celebration.“I know the sacrifices many of these guys made,” he said. “It's just a small token for us to honor them like this.”The parade has been organized for 24 years by the Butler Area Veterans Committee with county veterans services director John Cyprian, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Operation Desert Storm, acting as master of ceremonies.He called planning the parade by the committee each year a simple one because of how patriotic county residents have shown to be during the past two decades.“It makes our jobs very easy. It's a cake walk,” Cyprian said. “The people are awesome. Patriotic people — and you don't get that everywhere.”Congressman Mike Kelly, R-3rd, of Butler echoed Cyprian's views about Butler's patriotism.Kelly said he's been surprised to learn that some places don't share Butler's tradition of Veterans Day celebrations, and called the large turnout to Wednesday's parade an indication of the character of the residents.“They're here because they have this endearing feeling about our veterans,” Kelly said, “and that says a lot about the town we live in.”
