Parades, services to honor Greene County veterans
The Waynesburg color guard, formed by members of Waynesburg American Legion Post 330 and Veterans of Foreign War Post 4793, marches in last year’s Veterans Day parade on High Street.
John “Buzz” Walters
Michael Belding
WAYNEBURG – The annual Waynesburg Veterans Day parade down High Street this morning is the first of four upcoming major events to highlight the service of Greene County’s veterans.
The parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. with the route passing Greene County Courthouse with Marine Corps. veteran John “Buzz” Walters leading as the grand marshal.
The parade committee selected Walters, who resides in Rogersville, to be the parade marshal for his military service and continued work in the community.
The guest speaker during the event will be retired Marine Col. Michael Belding, who graduated from Waynesburg Central High School and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Marines after graduating from Penn State University in 1985. Belding flew helicopters and commanded a squadron during the Iraq war before retiring in 2012 after serving 27 years in the Marines.
Patrick Fitch and Bill DeWeese will serve as masters of ceremony.
High Street will be closed during the parade, so Waynesburg police are urging motorists to be alert and follow detours. The parade, sponsored by Veterans Council of Greene County, will kick off the events and programs in the county over the next week for Veterans Day Wednesday.
The Filer-Sadlek American Legion Post 954 in Jefferson will hold its annual Veterans Day Parade beginning about 10:45 a.m. Wednesday. The participants will organize at Jefferson Senior Center and proceed to Jefferson-Morgan High School for a program in the auditorium at 11:30 a.m. That event will feature U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. S. Scott Fowler as a guest speaker. The American Legion will then hold a ceremony to memorialize the seven members of Post 954 who died in the past year.
That same day, Carmichaels American Legion Post 400 will hold a service at its post in the borough at 11 a.m. that will include a 21-gun salute. The program will move inside with guest speaker John Brown, a retired U.S. army captain, with lunch to follow.
The Rogersville United Methodist Church will hold a service at 11:15 a.m. Nov. 15 for Veterans Day. The veterans in attendance will be recognized for their service and a luncheon will follow.
For more information about the upcoming events, go to www.co.greene.pa.us and click on the community events page.