Grand Marshal Needed To Lead Veterans Day Parade In Howard County

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Nominations are being accepted for the grand marshal of Howard County's 8th annual Veterans Day parade, which will be Nov. 13 at 9:30 a.m. in downtown Columbia.

"On Veterans Day and every day, we are grateful to the more than 20,000 veterans and their families who call Howard County home. As the son of a Vietnam-era Air Force veteran, I understand the challenges our veterans face in protecting our country. This annual parade demonstrates our support for our local heroes and honors the service of all veterans and their sacrifice to preserve our freedoms," Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said.

Past honorees include the late Vivian “Millie” Bailey, 104-year-old WWII African American veteran and community advocate, and the late Edward Lawrence “Larry” Killen, a Vietnam War Navy veteran and Army Reservist and paramedic firefighter who chaired the parade committee from 2015-2019.

To qualify as a nominee for grand marshal, the nominee must meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Be a current or former Howard County resident, business owner or representative of a Howard County-based business, nonprofit or other recognized legal entity in the state of Maryland.
2. Be a veteran or the immediate family member of a veteran. Immediate family is defined as a parent, stepparent, spouse, life partner, sibling, child, stepchild or guardian.

Grand marshal nominations can be found here and should be emailed to info@howardcountyveterans.org or mailed to: Howard County Veterans Foundation, Inc., ATTN: Parade Committee, Post Office Box 322, Lisbon, MD 21765. Completed nomination forms and supporting proof of service are due by no later than Sept 23.

In addition to seeking grand marshal nominations, the Howard County Veterans Foundation is looking for community members and groups interested in sponsoring the parade, as well as community groups interested in participating in the parade. To learn about sponsorship opportunities and how to sign your group up to walk in the parade, visit www.howardcountyveterans.org/parade.