The 270 Chronicles tells stories within Bowling Green’s 270 area code, 270 words at a time, featuring niche events, organizations and people that make up our local community.
Ahead of Veterans Day on Tuesday, Nov. 11, the Bowling Green community gathered to observe the Veterans Parade starting at Circus Square Park on Saturday, Nov. 8. Participants in the parade showcased essay contest winners, state representatives and more.
Rhette Foust, academic coordinator of the Veterans Upward Bound Program at WKU, said that he and his family came out to the event to honor fellow veterans. Foust said that the program was one of the floats in the parade.
Foust said that alongside himself, his family members have joined the military in some way.
“It’s a military tradition in the family,” Foust said.
Foust said that Veterans Upward Bound is where he wanted to give back to veterans, providing services aimed at reconnecting veterans to their education.
“We give them education, success, toolkits, health, wellness and resiliency,” Foust said.
He said that for him, his family and other veterans, being able to help the veteran community is a good thing.
“It’s a great thing for folks to come out and show respect for the sacrifices made,” Foust said. “Not just soldiers, but families.”
Daythan James said he came out with his father to the parade to support the veteran communities.
James said that events like these should be done more often, helping raise awareness in the veteran community, especially their mental health.
“It allows younger people to be exposed to something like vet awareness or mental health awareness,” James said.
James said he thinks events like the parade are a good way to give younger people a way to share commonalities.
“‘It gives us a sense of direction,” James said.
