By: Zayra Ramos-Ortiz
CLEVELAND – On Tuesday, 11 November, Cleveland held the city’s first – or at least first in a long time – Veterans Day parade.
The parade assembled at 8:30 am at City Hall, 601 Lakeside Avenue East, and then step off at 9:30 am for a one mile loop down Lakeside Avenue to Ontario Street to Rockwell Avenue to East Ninth Street, then back down Lakeside to City Hall for the Ceremony at the Rotunda Hall.
The parade theme was “Veterans Still Serving”, and was put together by Sgt. Stephen Merrifield, a Cleveland Police, special events coordinator, only a month ago.
Among the groups that took part in it were the United States Coast Guard, the Cleveland Police Dept., the Sons of both the Union and the Confederacy, Collingwood High School Blue Steel Marching Band, the Wound Warrior Project, the Greater Cleveland Young Marines, Bagpipers and, of course, several veterans groups. A Cleveland fire department engine, a mobile prosthetics lab from the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, also joined in the salute to veterans.
Grand marshal for what was officially described as the Cleveland Inaugural Veterans Parade was Mr. Patrick McLaughlin, a Vietnam veteran and former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
The ceremony at the Rotunda started at 11:00 am. During the ceremony, Mayor Jackson presented a proclamation in honor of Veterans Day to Police Sgt. Stephen Merrifield. There were several speakers and all of them paid tribute to those who had served in the United States Armed Forces as well as those currently serving.
In addition to Mayor Jackson, Mr. Armond Budish, our next Cuyahoga County Executive; Mr. William T. Anderson, from the office of U.S.; Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge and Mr. Matt Keyes from U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown’s office were there. Also, Mr. William H. Willoughby, Civilian Aid to the Secretary of the Army in Ohio; Mr. Ronald A. Achwachenwald, President of the Joint Veterans Commission or Cuyahoga County; and Mr. Rick DE Chant, Executive Director of Veterans Programs and Services for Cuyahoga County.
There were three honorees and all of them accepted their awards with genuine humility. Citizen Honoree Mr. Bruce L. Gilberson, Student Honoree Mr. Andre Downy and Veteran Honoree Mr. Dale W. Dahlke.
The guest speaker was Command Master Chief, Sean A. Sulshi from the U.S. Coast Guard Ninth District. He spoke about the history of Veterans Day and how important veterans are to our community. Sulshi said, “Their valuable experience and commitment to excellence translates to performance in the workplace and community involvement.” He encouraged veterans to share their stories with the public. “Share with them not only the hardships of service, but more importantly the honor of defending this great nation,” he said. “Today we remember the true meaning and historical significance of Veterans Day, and the service and sacrifice of our nation’s living heroes, our veterans,” he added. “Thank you for your service, God bless our nation’s veterans.”
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