City readies to honor veterans with parade, events in November
The city of San Marcos’ 2023 Veterans Day Parade is set for Saturday, Nov. 11.
The event is presented by the city of San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department with the assistance of the Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee.
The parade will begin at 10 a.m., with pre-parade activities and entertainment beginning on the lawn of the Hays County Historic Courthouse at 9 a.m.
The theme of this year’s parade will be “Honoring All Who Served the United States of America.”
The parade will start at the intersection of Hopkins Street and CM Allen Parkway. The parade will pass the Hays County Historic Courthouse, turn left onto Guadalupe Street, turn left onto San Antonio Street, turn left onto CM Allen Parkway and then turn right onto Hopkins Street before disbanding at the line up area.
This year’s Grand Marshal is San Marcos resident and retired U.S. Army Col. Jack H. Pryor.
Pryor is a distinguished retired U.S. Army Officer with 27 years of service as an airborne combat infantryman.
Pryor was drafted in 1964, worked with numerous fields within the U.S. Army, and graduated from U.S. Army Officer Candidate School following his first tour in Vietnam.
He holds master’s degrees in National Defense and Strategic Studies and Educational Administration and Secondary Education. Pryor has taught in the Psychology Department at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and served as a UNLV baseball coach.
He is a pioneer in studying sensory integration and cognition in sports and has participated in multiple seminars at Harvard, Cornell, Stanford, Tufts and Duke universities. He and his wife Debbie moved to San Marcos in 2018.
Pre-parade entertainment will be provided by local songwriter and veteran Dee Bartlett, followed by Acapella Unlimited.
Kiwanis Club Kids Bicycle Brigade The Kiwanis Club will be on hand between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. to help children decorate bicycles, tricycles and scooters for the parade. Free flags, streamers, and sign materials will be available on the courthouse lawn.
Children ages 5 and older are invited to join as Kiwanis Club members lead an escort into the parade and around the Courthouse. Pre-registration for the Kiwanis Club Kids Bicycle Brigade is not necessary. Participants will be entered into a drawing for a free bicycle.
Veterans Month of Service
The city of San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department, with assistance from the Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee is also hosting a month of community service opportunities in honor of Veterans Day. Residents are encouraged to decorate their home, vehicle, or business with patriotic items throughout the month of November. A different service activity honoring veterans will be promoted each week:
Donate to Wreaths Across America Nov. 8-14
Sponsor a remembrance wreath for gravesites of veterans buried in the San Marcos City Cemetery. Donations may be made at wreathsacrossamerica. org/tx0916. Wreaths will be placed on gravesites on Dec. 16, 2023.
Write a Letter to a Veteran Nov. 15-21
Write a letter for a veteran living in Texas State Veterans Homes. Letters may be submitted and delivered through the Veterans Land Board Mail Drop Program. More information can be found on their website at vlb.texas.gov.
Donate to the Hays County Food Bank Nov. 22-30 Make a monetary donation or donate items for distribution to veterans through the Hays County Food Bank. A list of items and instruction may be found online at haysfoodbank.org. For more information about the Month of Service initiative and links to the partner organizations visit sanmarcostx.gov/ monthofservice.
The Parks and Recreation Department works to provide the citizens and visitors of San Marcos the highest quality of programs, parks, facilities, and services that positively enhances our community.
The Parks and Recreation Department has a history of providing diverse and continuous programs for citizens and visitors and excels in providing maintained parks such as Rio Vista Park, educational centers such as the Discovery Center, and many more activities and resources for everyone in San Marcos.
