The Lycoming County Veteran’s Day Parade was held in Montgomery on Saturday, November 5th and was quite a sight to see. The parade lasted for nearly an hour and a half and featured everything from horse-drawn carriages, vintage army jeeps, classic cars, floats, three bands, and of course, many veterans. There was more red, white, and blue in the parade than what most of us see on the 4th of July. Crowds gathered well before the event began and it was wonderful to see so many people take the time to honor and thank our veterans.

The parade was a touching event and if you weren’t there, you missed out. Veterans of wars from the last seven decades received cheers, applause, and many genuine expressions of “Thank you” and “God bless you.” And while there were lots of veterans receiving cheers, there were also some somber memorial floats to remind the crowd that although our local combat veterans survived the turmoil of war, many have lived for decades with the grief and trauma of watching their brothers-in-arms die.

Although Veteran’s Day is a wonderful holiday to acknowledge the men and women who have preserved our freedom, we should all make it a point to thank our veterans year-round. It’s a remarkable thing to think that everything we have and enjoy is only possible because for nearly two-and-a-half centuries, selfless people have volunteered to fight and die so that our nation could be a free country. Whether our veterans served in wartime or in peacetime, they made the deliberate choice to risk their lives, long-term health and well-being for the rest of us.

Thank you, veterans. God bless you for your service to our beautiful country.

THOT “Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory.” George S. Patton

Montgomery events

Sat. Nov. 12 The Red Raider Marching Band will be hosting a spaghetti dinner fundraiser at St. John’s Lutheran “Brick” Church from 4-7. The students are raising money to attend the presidential inauguration. Eat at the church or get your meal to go.

Mon. Nov. 14 The Clinton Township Supervisors’ meeting will be in the Municipal Building at 6:30.

Tues. Nov. 15 St. John’s Lutheran “Brick” Church is holding a Potpie Supper from 4:00-6:30. Chicken and ham potpie will be available.

Tues. Nov. 15 Carol Shetler, Harry & Carol Riddell, and Genevieve Voneida will be presenting a program about how the local roads received their names at the Montgomery Area Historical Society meeting at 7 p.m. Please note that the event will be in the Montgomery Borough Office and not in the Adam Room. Light refreshments will be provided.

Sun. Nov. 20 The Grace Presbyterian Church will be hosting a community Thanksgiving service at 7 p.m. The speaker will be Rev. Rebecca Cuddeback