Veterans invited to join parade Thursday

Pawhuska Public Schools is planning a vehicle parade Thursday morning, Nov. 11 in honor of Veterans Day.

Lori Justus, principal of Pawhuska High School, said that veterans are being invited to gather by 10 a.m. at the softball field parking lot, just off McKenzie Road. The parade is to leave the softball field at 10 a.m.

Police and fire units will provide an escort for the parade, which is to drive by Pawhuska Hospital, pass by Indian Camp Elementary School, and then flow across to Pawhuska Elementary School.

The parade is to come to a close at the High School/Junior High School complex, Justus said. The school band will play the national anthem and "Taps" at the flag pole in front of the Junior High School.

"We just want to celebrate the veterans in a safe way," Justus said. "We're just trying to let people know that we appreciate their service and sacrifice."

Danny Mooney, adjutant for Harold Bigheart Smalley American Legion Post 198 of Pawhuska, said the Legion Post has some activities planned at the end of the parade.

When the parade planned by Pawhuska Public Schools comes to an end, the Legion is planning to continue on with the first responder escort to the Veterans Memorial on the Osage Nation campus, Mooney said.

From the memorial on the Osage Nation campus, they plan to drive to the Veterans Memorial Park at the four-way stop on Main Street for a few minutes, he said. After things break up at the park, the Legion members are planning to drive to the Legion Hall on Sixth Street for coffee and doughnuts and an AR-15 drawing, he said.

Mooney clarified that there has been a change of plans. There will not be a flag raising at the Wakon Iron Hall in the Pawhuska Indian Village, and the soldier dances have been canceled out of concern about COVID-19, he said.