‘Welcome Home’
After a two-year absence, a Veterans Day parade once again was held in Anna.
The parade is sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Carroll P. Foster Post No. 3455 in Anna.
“Welcome Home” was the theme for this year’s parade, which was held Thursday afternoon, Nov. 11, in Anna.
The main route of the parade began near the Anna City Park and continued through the downtown Anna area.
The parade was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2019, unseasonably cold weather, snow and sleet led to the cancelling of the event.
The weather last Thursday started on a rainy note early in the morning.
The rain came to an end prior to the 11 a.m. start of the 2021 parade...at times, sunshine even made an appearance.
This year’s parade marshal was John Tripp, 97, a U.S. Army veteran who served during World War in Europe and is a member of the Anna VFW post.
More than 70 units participated in the Veterans Day parade. Winning entries, as announced by the Anna VFW post, included, by category:
Banner/flag teams: Cobden Marching Appleknockers banner/flag team, first. Anna-Jonesboro Community High School Marching Wildcats banner/flag team: second. Anna Junior High School Indians banner/flag team, third.
Business: Rusty’s Home Center, first. Coffman’s Martial Arts, second. Davie School Inn, Anna, third.
Clubs/organizations: Anna-Jonesboro Elks Lodge No. 1641, first. Williamson County Motor Patrol/Shriners: second. O’Reilly Auto Parts military truck: third.
Floats, non-veteran: Steve & Eric, Dueling Pianos, first. Best of the Bottoms, Jack Thornton, second. Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative, third.
Floats, veterans: Shawnee Detachment No. 812, Marine Corps League Toys for Tots, first. Cobden American Legion Post No. 259, second. Anna American Legion Post No. 344, third.
Marching bands, junior/senior and senior: Cobden High School Marching Appleknockers junior/senior band, first. A-JCHS Marching Wildcats, second, Dongola Demons Junior/Senior High School marching band, third.
Marching band, junior: Anna Junior High School Indians, first.
Troops, Boy/Cub Scouts: Cub Scout Pack 44, first.
Troops, Gir/Daisy Scouts: UPAC Girl Scouts, first.
Vehicle, antique farm equipment: Cody Kraatz 1949 3/4 ton restored Chevy truck, first. Stover Farms 1966 John Deere 3020 tractor, second. Justin Hill John Deere tractor, third.
Vehicles, antiques/classic/military: Leonard Sadler World War II Jeep, first. Dennis Basler 1946 Army Jeep, second. Chloe Basler antique/classic golf cart, third.
Royalty: Miss Union County Fair queen Lauren Lyerla, first. Little Miss Union County Fair queen Callie Lynn Duckworth, second. Junior Miss Union County Fair queen Aleah Box, third.
Horses: Dale Lipe with gaited walking horse Chance, first. Walker family horses, second. Wing and Prayer Stable/Jack Thornton, third.