COVID-19 has changed how traditional events are celebrated and the big Canyon Lake celebration of Veteran’s Day is no exception. But, city leaders are getting creative to make sure these celebrations safely take place. The popular flyover by the Warbirds, will take place over the main lake for all of Canyon Lake residents to view on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. after an extensive golf cart parade that will wind throughout the city. Flags are being planted on the lawns of Canyon Lake’s veterans. Photo provided by San Diego Salute.
Veteran’s Day includes golf cart parade, city wide flyover
Flags have been planted in lawns of every known Canyon Lake veteran and, after an extensive golf cart parade, await a flyover of the lake to celebrate Veteran’s Day on Wednesday.
The typical ceremony at the Canyon Lake Town Center’s Veterans Memorial Park has been curtailed because of COVID-19 restrictions, so the City of Canyon Lake decided instead to organize the socially-distant golf cart parade and a flyover that will take place over the entire length of the community.
COVID-19 has changed how traditional events are celebrated and the big Canyon Lake celebration of Veteran’s Day is no exception. But, city leaders are getting creative to make sure these celebrations safely take place. The popular flyover by the Warbirds, will take place over the main lake for all of Canyon Lake residents to view on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. after an extensive golf cart parade that will wind throughout the city. Flags are being planted on the lawns of Canyon Lake’s veterans. Photo provided by San Diego Salute.
The hundreds of flags were put in veteran’s yards by Canyon Lake Veteran’s Day Committee volunteers. The flags were donated by historic Canyon Lake leaders Jack Wamsley and Warren Kelsey. Jack, on the original city council, and Warren, who served on Canyon Lake POA boards, have been donating the flags since the inception of the city’s celebration of Veteran’s Day 12 years ago.
“We have donated the flags in recognition of the veterans of Canyon Lake,” Jack said. “Warren and I are both veterans who served in the Korean War.”
Jack served in the Air Force and Warren in the Army.
The city committee gathers names of all veterans who now live in the city and honor them annually on the holiday. Without a ceremony this year where speeches are made and a crowd gathers at the memorial, the city decided to put on the 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 Wednesday. 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 main lake and the flyover can be viewed from any location within Canyon Lake.
The annual city events surrounding the Veteran’s Day celebration are put on by the City of Canyon Lake Veteran’s Day Event Committee. Anybody in Canyon Lake can join the committee and, if interested, can obtain more information by emailing the committee at veterans@canyonlake.gov.
In addition to the flags being placed on veteran yards throughout the community by the city’s committee, the Canyon Lake Chamber of Commerce is also sponsoring an event at the Field of Honor at the city’s Veterans Memorial Park in the Canyon Lake Town Center for Veteran’s Day.
Flags that include a yellow ribbon with the veteran’s name on it were purchased by veterans or their families for temporary installation at the memorial park. Flags honor veterans or current members of the military.
The flags will remain at the memorial park until the Friday after Veteran’s Day. Those who purchased the flags will need to remove them, if they want to keep them, on that Friday.
The Canyon Lake Chamber of Commerce provided the flags so that all proceeds from the sale of the flags could be given to the Canyon Lake Veterans Day Celebration fund.