Cedar Park Veterans Day Parade, Ceremony Scheduled

CEDAR PARK, TX — The city will stage a parade honoring military veterans this weekend followed by a ceremony at a monument honoring their service.

The parade is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11. The parade route runs from Woodall Drive, north on West New Hope Drive past Veterans Memorial Park, then turns west at West New Hope Spur and returns to Woodall Drive.

Following the parade, a ceremony for veterans is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial Monument located at Veterans Memorial Park, 2525 West New Hope Drive. Seating is limited, and guests are invited to bring along their blankets and lawn chairs. Admission is free.

During the ceremony, state Rep. Tony Dale is scheduled to discuss the significance of the city's recently unveiled Gold Star Families Monument, city officials said in a press advisory. On September 23, The American Legion Post 911 in Cedar Park dedicated the monument honoring families who've lost a loved one to military service.

The local monument was placed at the Cedar Park Veterans Memorial Park as part of the nationwide effort by the Hershel “Woody” Williams Medal of Honor Gold Star Families Foundation to build such obelisks in each of the 50 states. Several Gold Star Families are expected to attend the ceremony along with elected officials.

About the Cedar Park Veterans Memorial (provided text):

The Cedar Park Veterans Memorial, unveiled in 2011, consists of 22-foot-tall black granite obelisk with a towering, seven-foot tall bronze soldier, standing guard over a base of six panels honoring each of the six branches of the United States Armed Services: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marines.

Engraved paving stones honoring loved ones of local residents who have served, lead up to the monument. Designed by Fort Worth artist Gregory Beck, the monument has many special references to Texas. One panel of the obelisk honors women in the U.S. Military, with laser art taken from actual photographs at Camp Mabry of a Texas Army National Guard Soldier kissing her 18 month-old baby goodbye, and another returning to her 4-year-old child after a tour of duty.

The base panel honoring the Air Force features a B1 Bomber stationed at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene and the base panel honoring the Navy features an image of the George H.W. Bush Aircraft Carrier. The bronze soldier is the likeness of U.S. Army Specialist Matthew Morris of Cedar Park, who was killed in 2008 while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. His mother Lisa served on the Veterans Memorial Citizens Advisory Committee, which raised more than $225,000 to construct the monument.

>>> Photo of Gold Star Families Monument courtesy of City of Cedar Park