Aurora resident Amber Massengill looks forward to Veterans Day each year for a number of reasons, given that her immediate and extended family have strong connections to the holiday’s significance.
“All of my veteran relatives are in Ohio right now, but my son is marching in the parade,” Massengill said as she sat bundled up on Downer Place awaiting the start of Aurora’s Veterans Day parade on Tuesday morning. “My son is in JROTC and it’s always important that we recognize this holiday. People gave up their lives and a lot more just so we could be here, and if we don’t celebrate them in some way what was the point?”
Tuesday morning, Aurora joined the rest of the country in honoring our nation’s heroes as the annual Veterans Day parade in the city began just after 10:15 a.m. at the intersection of Downer Place and Water Street.
A total of nearly two dozen floats including representatives from the Aurora City Council, the Aurora Veterans Advisory Council, Roosevelt/Aurora American Legion Post 84, Fox Valley Marines Detachment 1233 and the Daughters of the American Revolution made their way through the downtown area as viewers gathered under cloudy skies.
Following the conclusion of the parade, a ceremony took place inside Aurora City Hall which featured remarks from Scott Hellinger, a U.S. Air Force veteran and current Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor at West Aurora High School. The event also included a special remembrance for area veterans who have passed away over the last year, city officials said.
Communications manager for the city of Aurora Jon Zaghloul said the parade on Veterans Day in the city always gets strong support.
“It’s just a great opportunity to honor our veteran community. We have such a strong veteran community here in Aurora, and this parade is really the pinnacle, getting a chance to honor them every year on Nov. 11th,” he said.
Free doughnuts and coffee were provided this year by the Aurora Noons Lions Club at the parade. Randy Brown, the club’s president, was manning a tent at Water Street Mall during the event and said the group works to give back to veterans.
“It’s absolutely important we be here. Without our veterans, we wouldn’t have a country,” Brown said as he and others offered visitors coffee and pastries. “We appreciate all they’ve done and stepped up for our country.”
Veterans on hand including Robert Farrington of Aurora, who said he served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, said that veterans today are receiving more of their due respect and recognition.
“I feel over the years the importance of this day has increased, but, also for me, it brings sadness as I think about the people that didn’t come back,” Farrington said as he waited with his wife June for the parade to begin. “I do feel we are more respected and held in higher esteem than we used to be. There were a lot of protests back then but it feels good to be recognized.”
Another veteran at the event, Robert McDowell of Aurora, said he served in the Army for eight years and was also appreciative of the parade and the recognition.
“I was in Desert Shield and Desert Storm and a little time after that,” McDowell said. “As far as today goes I wish there was more than one day to celebrate veterans. But I’m glad to have what we have and that people pay attention and say thanks.”
McDowell also agreed veterans’ “esteem has grown over the years. I agree 100%.”
“When we were in the desert, we had the memory of the Vietnam veterans and how they were treated when they came back,” he said. “We were concerned about that and when we got home – holy cow – they had parades and free memberships to the VFW and it was completely different than what we thought. I worked for the VA for 15 years after that and made sure I thanked each Vietnam vet and welcomed them back because they made things easier for us.”
He said the parade on Tuesday in Aurora “does feel good.”
“It’s also kind of humbling,” he said. “I’m not going to lie. It does feel good but there are less and less of us (veterans) each year.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
