Pensacola Beach Elks Lodge #497 hosted its 34th annual Veterans Day parade Nov. 11. The parade chair was Pam McGinty and the co-chair was Frank Papasavas. The Grand Marshall was Colonel Allison Black, commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida. The lodge hosted a cookout before the parade for all veterans and their spouses, parade drivers, golf cart participants, and volunteers, with assistance from the American Legion Gulf Breeze Post 387. The Ladies of Elks prepared and served side dishes. Each of the approximately 55 parade cars had a banner affixed to it naming the veteran rider and their service. There were more than 60 veterans participating, including a group of veterans from The Blake at Pensacola, an assisted living facility. Numerous groups participated in the parade, including the Gulf Breeze High School band and Air Force JR ROTC, Girl Scouts, MacGuire’s Pipe Band, Patriot Guard, and the Blue Wahoos minor league baseball mascot. A choral group from Pensacola Choral Society and Gulf Breeze Methodist sang the national anthem and “God Bless America.”
Pictured in one of the parade’s cars in Leonard Halseth, retired U.S. Army Special Forces.