Veterans Day Parade Held Downtown By the Muskingum County Veterans Council

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- The Veterans Day Parade was held this morning throughout downtown by the Muskingum County Veterans Council.

There were many participants, bands and organizations a part of the parade that threw out candy and waved to the crowd. Ron Gottke, member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Philo/Duncan Falls said that his father, who’s name is also Ron Gottke, unfortunately passed away in February and will be inducted into the Hall of Fame Ceremony later this evening.

“He actually helped do the Veteran’s Day Parade for the last 2 years that was able to go on before the coronavirus. He was a part of the Navy for 21 1/2 years. Did a lot of stuff like helped found the VFW down in the Philo area. So, it’s sad to miss him this year for it,” Gottke said.

One resident, Brooke Best, talked about how the Veteran’s Day Parade is important to her because not only was both her daughters apart of the Zanesville Marching Band, but she said that her dad is a Marine and Vietnam Veteran.

“It was nice to be able to come to the parade again this year. We got back to normal life. It was really awesome because my son is only three and Champion Services stopped their float today and presented him with this ride on toy and told him Merry Christmas and I thought that was really awesome,” Best said.

Right after the parade there was a gun salute that honored the fallen soldiers in front of the County Commissioners building. The rest of the day will include open houses with the VFW and American Legion and then a Hall of Fame Ceremony at the Secrest Auditorium at 7:00 p.m.