Erin Hill
Gadsden County News Service
Veterans, community organizations and residents gathered in Havana on Saturday, Nov. 7, for the town’s first Veterans Day parade, marking the beginning of a new tradition honoring those who have served in the United States military.
Organized by the newly established Havana Veterans Memorial Foundation, the celebration included a parade through town and a ceremony rededicating the Veterans Memorial, which has stood for 20 years.
The parade began at 11 a.m. at Havana Community Park and concluded at the memorial, where participants gathered to recognize the service and sacrifices of military veterans.
The event was organized in part by foundation President Larry Clayton, a veteran with 33 years of military service, including 25 years in the Florida National Guard. Clayton retired from the Army Reserve.
Elwynn Sherman, a Gulf War veteran who served 11 years in the Marine Corps, also helped lead the effort to establish the celebration.
The foundation was formed to preserve the legacy of local veterans and strengthen the community’s recognition of military service. Organizers hope the parade will become an annual event, providing an opportunity for veterans and their families to be recognized while educating younger generations about the sacrifices associated with military service.
Planning for the inaugural parade drew support from the town of Havana, the Havana Police Department, local businesses and the Havana Merchants Association, which held a silent auction to help raise money for the event.
The parade concluded with the rededication of the town’s Veterans Memorial, bringing renewed attention to a landmark that has served as a place of remembrance for two decades.
The ceremony also came during the nation’s 250th anniversary year, adding historical significance to the town’s first Veterans Day celebration.
Veterans Day is observed annually Nov. 11, commemorating the armistice that ended fighting in World War I in 1918. Originally known as Armistice Day, the holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to honor Americans who served in all wars.
