SILER CITY — Back-to-back events in Siler City on Saturday, Nov. 9, will honor veterans of the United States Armed Forces.
Planned and coordinated by the Siler City Merchants Association and American Legion Post #93, the local Veterans Day weekend programs will begin at 10 a.m. with a service at the West Chatham Veterans Memorial at Bray Park, 800 Alston Bridge Road.
The service — which Merchants Association president Zoann Adams said will last approximately 30 minutes — will include participation by local veterans, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office’s Honor Guard, Mayor John Grimes and Pastor Mark Richardson of The Journey Church.
Immediately following the memorial-side service, a Veterans Day parade — with participation by local veterans, the Siler City Fire Department, the Siler City Police Department, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office and the Jordan-Matthews High School Marching Band — is scheduled to begin downtown at 11 a.m.
The parade route begins near the Siler City Fire Department at 310 N. Chatham Ave. and continues through downtown on that route to Beaver Street.
Adams noted that the Oasis Open Air Market on N. Chatham Avenue will offer free bowls of chili to veterans until 12:30 p.m.
Adams said the Merchants Association has organized similar local programs since 2009 to honor veterans around the national holiday; the Siler City events have some support year after year, though Adams said attendance tends to be low.
“We’re hoping it will get bigger every year,” she said.
“It’s a very short service and a short parade,” Adams acknowledged, “but our veterans seem to appreciate it very much. It means a lot to us and I think it does for the veterans, too.”
Randall Rigsbee can be reached at rigsbee@chathamnr.com.