City Veteran’s Day preparations underway

Despite COVID-19 restrictions, the City of Canyon Lake is determined to honor its veterans this Veteran’s Day, albeit in a significantly modified way.

In past years, the city put on an event complete with speeches, crowds and flyovers at the Veterans Memorial Park in the Canyon Lake Town Center. This year, there will be no program, but instead a Golf Cart Parade.

Those who wish to participate in the Veteran’s Day Parade will show up at the Eastport Launch area beginning at 12:15 p.m. on Nov. 11. Those participating will need to turn in a signed waiver at the check-in table there. Lineup areas will be set up based on the different military branches, WWII Veterans and other participants. Anyone who signs a waiver can participate and line up with whatever group they’d like to associate with.

The parade will begin at 1:00 p.m. and will be led by Canyon Lake Mayor Jordan Ehrenkranz. The parade will travel from Eastport to Gault Field and then on to the Canyon Lake Town Center where the parade will end at approximately 2:00 p.m.

“Because of Social Distancing requirements, we ask participants not to gather at the end of the parade route,” Ana Sauseda, the Canyon Lake City Clerk, said. “Residents are encouraged to return back into the community for the viewing of the flyover which will take place at 3:00 p.m.”

The Warbirds will fly over the community and the flyover can be viewed from any location within Canyon Lake.

Hundreds of veterans live in the City of Canyon Lake and all are invited to be honored at the Field of Honor at the city’s Veterans Memorial Park in the Canyon Lake Town Center this Veteran’s Day.

Flags that include a yellow ribbon with the veteran’s name on it can be purchased by veterans or their families for temporary installation at the memorial park. Flags can honor veterans or current members of the military.

The flags cost $10 each and can be purchased up until Monday at Pack, Wrap & Post which is located in the Canyon Lake Town Center.

Volunteers will then place the flags into the ground at the park on Wednesday. The flags will remain at the memorial park until the Friday after Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11. Those who purchased the flags will need to remove them, if they want to keep them, on Nov. 13.

The Canyon Lake Chamber of Commerce provided the flags so that all proceeds from the sale of the flags will be given to the Canyon Lake Veterans Day Celebration fund.

Canyon Lake resident Janelle Liem provided the adjacent photo to promote this year’s Veteran’s Day. The photo is a picture of her father, grandfather and uncles from decades ago. She said the photo hung in her parents’ home since she was born.

“I just thought of them as my dad, grandpa and my uncles,” Janelle said. “But did I really understand the importance of what they did for our country? The patriotism and sacrifices they did for me and you, to live in freedom in the U.S. of A.? With the world in so much chaos right now, I have to stand back and really acknowledge the importance of all they did and all the veterans past and present do for our country.

“We live in such a wonderful country with freedom of speech and freedom of religion and the right to bear arms and vote and speak our minds, all because of what they did and stood for.  Thank you is not enough. Respect is not enough. Praise is not enough. I’m really not sure what is enough, but the news and social media can be so sad and so disrespectful. I hope this Veterans Day, my fellow men and women will acknowledge all that these military citizens have done for our country.”