Every Veteran’s Day for many decades, the Downtown Vidalia Association has honored the men and women who’ve served our country with a free luncheon, and this year is no different – although, there is something new added to the event.

The Downtown Vidalia Association Executive Director Tanya Parker and Georgia Department of Veterans Service Office Manager Debbie O’Neal have teamed up and coordinated a Veteran’s Day parade prior to the lunch and program.

“Debbi has done a Veteran’s Parade in the past, but this year we decided to work together,” Parker said. “The parade will begin on Friday, November 11, [Veteran’s Day] around 10:00 in the parking lot of Southeastern Technical College, come out by the Chamber of Commerce, turn left, and wind down to SECCA where it will go down to the RV park, make a right and continue to the Vidalia Community Center.”

After the parade disassembles at the Community Center, the luncheon and program will begin at approximately 11:30, and all veterans plus one guest and widows or widowers of deceased veterans are invited.

To Parker, this event takes on a personal note and it’s why the Veteran’s Day event is so near to her heart.

“Whether our organization or another one does it, we just need to let the veterans know that we appreciate them and the sacrifices they made,” she said. “Both of grandfathers were in World War II, and although they are deceased now, this event reminds me of what they did, and we just don’t need to forget our veterans – young or old.”