{"id":43834,"date":"2021-11-10T00:10:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-10T07:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/american-legion-to-host-veterans-day-parade\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T03:16:04","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T09:16:04","slug":"american-legion-to-host-veterans-day-parade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/american-legion-to-host-veterans-day-parade\/","title":{"rendered":"American Legion to host Veterans Day Parade"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The
The annual Cortez Veterans Day parade will take over Montezuma Avenue Thursday afternoon.<\/span>The Journal<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

The Ute Mountain Ute American Legion Post No. 75 will honor those who served in the armed forces Thursday, hosting its annual Veterans Day Parade on Montezuma Avenue.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s event is slated to be larger than last year\u2019s, said event chairman Mike Brunk.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Brunk\u2019s third year organizing the event, and he\u2019s still amazed at the outpouring of support for veterans in Cortez.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never been in a community that was as supportive of the veterans as this one,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He said he\u2019s impressed with the leadership exhibited by the Montezuma County Veteran Affairs office.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t have anybody come close to being this conscientious and tenacious about doing their job as what we have here, so we\u2019re very fortunate. The community is very generous,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

As of 2019, Montezuma County\u2019s population is estimated to be comprised of about 8% veterans, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To Brunk, this makes sense.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a beautiful place to live,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Beyond this, he\u2019s excited for new generations to experience the parade.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hear we have a new group of youngsters that are going to come and see it for the first time, and they\u2019re impressed,\u201d Brunk said. \u201cI got to talk to my great-nephew last year. He saw it for the first time \u2014 he\u2019s 4. And he didn\u2019t really know \u2014 it was just a lot of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elements of the parade \u2014 like the fire trucks \u2014 made a lasting impression on Brunk\u2019s great-nephew, he said.<\/p>\n

Brunk began preparing for this year\u2019s parade at the end of July.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first year, I was like a deer in the headlights trying to organize all of this stuff,\u201d Brunk said. \u201cBut the people that have participated, the majority of them have been doing it long enough, they pretty much know where to go and how to form and it always comes off. It\u2019s just a wonderful event.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although the deadline to register to participate in the event was Friday, Brunk said Tuesday he was still accepting last-minute entries.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf somebody is wanting to celebrate Veterans Day with us, then that\u2019s fine. I think that\u2019s fantastic,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Lineup will take place at 1 p.m. at the Montezuma County Annex Building at 107 N. Chestnut St.<\/p>\n

The parade will commence at 1 p.m.<\/p>\n

Veterans and their families will be treated to a free lunch at American Legion Post No. 75, at 320 N. Harrison St., from 2 to 4 p.m, provided by Shannon Englehart, owner of End of the Trail Catering.<\/p>\n

On Veterans Day, the Cortez City Hall, Cortez Public Library, Cortez Police Department lobby, Cortez Water Treatment Plant and Colorado Welcome Center will be closed. Police and 911 emergency services will still be operating. The Refuse and Recycling Service Center will be closed, although normal routes will still be serviced.<\/p>\n

Participants<\/div>\n
Cortez Police Department.Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Veterans Group color guard and Ute Mountain Ute American Legion Post No. 75 color guard.Cortez Fire Protection District. Colorado State Patrol car and mobile van. Montezuma County Sheriff\u2019s Office Mounted Patrol and Humvee.M-CHS Band and M-CMS band. Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary.Greenlight A Vet.Escalante Shrine Club.Clint Williams horse-drawn carriage.Montezuma County Patriots.Montezuma-Cortez School District Re-1 truck. True West Auto Center.Lighthouse Christian Academy students. Over the Hill Gang classic cars.Vista Grande Inn bus.Craig Taylor Flying Service of Pagosa Springs flyover.Rides for Veterans in vehicles or on wagons. Seating arrangements can be made prior to the parade by contacting Mike Brunk at 970-570-9928. <\/div>\n