Veterans honored in Charleroi with parade, pageantry
Evan Williams, 8, of Charleroi, salutes military vehicles as they pass by during the Mon Valley Veterans Day Parade Saturday in Charleroi.
Veteran Harold Pascoe of Charleroi watches the Washington High School marching band pass by during the Mon Valley Veterans Day Parade Saturday in Charleroi.
Carter Stasicha, 10, with Boy Scout Pack 1562 hands flags to spectators during the Mon Valley Veterans Day Parade Saturday in Charleroi.
Gavin Cherup, 6, with Boy Scout Pack 1515 of Millersburg, hands a flag to Rocco Falosk, 12, of Washington, during the Mon Valley Veterans Day Parade Saturday in Charleroi.
Peter Kalamaras Jr.
CHARLEROI – Veterans Day is poignant for anyone who has worn the nation’s uniform, but this year’s will be particularly so for Peter Kalamaras Jr.
The Charleroi native, who served as the executive officer of the 28th Combat Support Hospital in Iraq in 2008 and logged over two decades in the U.S. Army, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel, officially became a veteran himself Nov. 1. He ended up marking his newly minted veteran status in style Saturday, serving as grand marshal of the Mon Valley Veterans Day Parade as it wound through downtown Charleroi.
In remarks at a dinner at the borough’s American Legion Post 22 following the afternoon parade, Kalamaras said he was grateful for the support he received from Charleroi and from all veterans who had come before him.
“Each are providing a legacy of professionalism, dignity and respect for future generations,” said Kalamaras, who choked back tears. “I am extremely proud to join their ranks.”
Kalamaras was raised above Kaly’s Bar and Restaurant in the 400 block of Fallowfield Avenue in Charleroi. Being raised in Charleroi was pivotal for him, Kalamaras said, and “prepared me for a career in the military.”
The 2 p.m. parade worked its way down McKean Avenue, with high school marching bands and a series of floats honoring veterans. Some Washington County political figures were also on hand, such as Washington County commissioners Larry Maggi, Diana Irey Vaughan and Harlan Shober, and Tim Solobay, a former state senator and current state fire commissioner.
“It’s honoring our service people,” said Paul Pivovarnik, president of Charleroi Borough Council, as the parade passed by. “That’s what we need to do. And, it’s showcasing our downtown.”
Mary Ann Dean, who lives on McKean Avenue, sat on her front porch and watched the parade go by. She said she enjoyed seeing all the people attending and “it’s great to see all the bands.” Many paradegoers quietly thanked veterans for their service as they walked by.
In the days before the parade, a Hometown Heroes Banner Committee sold cloth flags to hang from downtown lampposts, each one honoring a local veteran and offering biographical information.
The Mon Valley Veterans Day Parade comes to Charleroi every five years, with Washington, Monessen, Monongahela and California hosting it on a rotating basis.