Veterans Day 2009 in Mesa

The City of Mesa to Honor Nation’s Veterans with several different events on Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11.

Mesa, AZ – The Mesa Veterans Day Parade will begin at 11 a.m. Sponsored by the Mesa Veterans Parade Association, more than 90 entries will be participating.  This year’s theme is “Honoring Our Vietnam Veterans.” The parade marshals will represent all five branches of the United States military. The marshals are Jim Ashley, U.S. Army; Tom Schoemig, U.S. Navy; Donald Waldron, U.S. Air Force; Eddie Washington, U.S. Marines and Richard Bonney, U.S. Coast Guard. They will be followed a car representing a missing man. Only the driver will be inside of it.

The parade will begin on Center Street at 3rd Place and will travel south on Center Street to 1st Avenue. Street closures will begin as early as 8:30 a.m. At 10 a.m., Main Street will close between Country Club and Mesa Drive. However, local access will be maintained from Country Club to Macdonald and from Mesa Drive to Sirrine. Also at 10 a.m., Center Street will close between Main Street and 2nd Avenue while 1st Avenue will close from Macdonald to Sirrine. All streets should reopen to normal traffic at 1 p.m.

The Boy Scouts of America, Troop #773, will be setting up flags on the graves of veterans buried at the Mesa Cemetery, 1212 N. Center St., near sunrise and remove them near sunset. The Boy Scouts will prepare a site next to the grave to display a flag. To order a flag or for more information, please contact Jonathon Crosby at (480) 390-4536. A suggested annual donation of $40 to the troop will help cover the costs for the flags and add to their camp fund, allowing the boys to attend summer camp and participate in other scouting activities.

The First Annual Veteran Invasion will begin at 1 p.m. in the Theatre District at Mesa Riverview as a day-long festival and concert in celebration of Veterans Day. Sponsored by the Veteran Tickets Foundation, activities will include a “GI obstacle course,” Patriot Guard ride, displays from area vendors and nonprofit organizations and live music at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill.

A Veterans Day Commemoration will be held at 4 p.m. at Mountain View Funeral Home and Cemetery, 7900 E. Main St. The new “Wall of Peace” will be dedicated at this ceremony, which will include an Honor Guard and musical accompaniment.

The City of Mesa will be closed in observance of Veterans Day. The closure includes Mesa Municipal Court, libraries and recreation centers. Refuse and recyclables will be collected, but there will be no bulk-item or appliance collection. The Mesa Arts Center Administration Offices and Registration will be closed. However, Mesa Contemporary Arts will be open and the theatres will have evening performances. The Arizona Museum of Natural History will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Arizona Museum for Youth will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Veterans will be admitted free while their spouses and children will receive a 50 percent discount. The Dobson Ranch and Riverview golf courses will be open. All bus routes will operate on normal schedules.

Source: City of Mesa

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