Out of an abundance of caution and with guidance from emergency management professionals, the City of Aurora’s Veterans Day Parade scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, November 11, has been canceled due to forecasted rain and high winds.
The Veterans Day Ceremony, which would follow the parade, has been moved indoors to Aurora City Hall, 44 E. Downer Place, and will begin at 11 a.m. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. Priority seating will be given to veterans and their families.
“While my fellow veterans and I served in all types of weather, we want to make sure veterans are thanked and honored in the safest manner possible here at home,” said Aurora Mayor Richard C. Irvin, an Army veteran. “We look forward to recognizing those who served our country and invite the community to watch the ceremony online.”
The women veterans who were to serve as Grand Marshals of the parade will be introduced and honored during the ceremony, which will also includes remarks by Mayor Irvin, a roll-call of military branches, highlights from local veterans organizations, and an outside 21-gun salute to commemorate the armistice agreement that ended World War I.
In honor of the 35th Anniversary of Public Law 610, the bill signed in 1986 to authorize the establishment of the Military Women’s Memorial in Washington, D.C, women veterans were tapped to lead this year’s festivities, including State Representative Stephanie Kifowit, City officials, public safety officers, and business owners.
Cecilia Lopez Leyva, the mother of fallen Marine Corporal Sara Medina, will represent her daughter. An East Aurora High School grad, Medina was killed in 2015 while on duty in Nepal, India.
The ceremony will be livestreamed on the City’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CityofAuroraIL, and on the homepage of the City’s website at www.aurora-il.org.
