A patriotic car from the Good Intentions Car Club cruises through the parade.

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - The West Sacramento Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 8762 should be very proud for hosting the 2023 Veterans Day Parade and the outstanding success of it. The parade this year was by far the best parade that this town has seen in years. This year’s parade included a marching band, cheerleaders, sports organization, politicians, car clubs, horses, emergency organizations and equipment, scouts, mascots, military and of course…Veterans!

A grateful brown truck rolls through the parade.

Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig was the MC for the event. He introduced each group and explained who they are and what they do. There was even a couple of parade floats. In addition to Jeff and the National Anthem singers, Taylor Jans and Abigayle Graham, there were 41 groups, totaling 528 people, several horses and one pig that participated in the parade.

It wasn’t just the large number of parade participants that showed up to support the Veterans this year. There was a great turnout of community spectators as well. Spectators lined the parade route with their lawn chairs and families and enjoyed the handfuls of candy being tossed out to the crowd as the long line of beautiful cars and entertainment came down the street.

The Coast Guard was one of the parade participants and rode the route pulling a rescue boat through the parade. The other branches of the military were represented by the participation of a Veteran from that branch. Air Force Veteran Bill Steffey Sr. rode in a 1955 Chevy Bel Air. Marine Veteran Jerry Smith rode through the parade with Mayor Martha Guerrero. 100-year-0old Navy Veteran Paul Hayden Dunn received a standing ovation as he rode through the parade. Right behind him was 99-year-old Abel, riding in one of the cars from the Sacramento Valley Model T Club. He also received a standing ovation.

City of West Sacramento (COWS) mascot Mooie Armstrong riding in a John Deere with a friend.

A full list of participants includes: West Sacramento Fire Department, West Sac. Boy Scouts of America Troop 49, Scouts BSA Troop 50G, West Sac. Cub Scout Pack 49, West Sacramento Girl Scouts, Presenting The River City Regiment, River City High School Cheer Squad, West Sacramento Police Department, West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero, Dolores Huerta Latino Democratic Club, West Sacramento Mayor Pro Tem Quirina Orozco, River City Democrat Club, Jesse Schlunegger & Veteran Abel Hernandez, San Pedro Association, City of West Sacramento Parks, Elkhorn Village Elementary School, West Sacramento Little League, West Sacramento Girls Softball, Good Intentions Car Club, Sacramento River Cats – “Dinger”, West Campus Highschool Cheerleaders/Sac Sirens, Don Albert’s 1939 Chevy, Bill Steffey Sr.’s 1955 Chevy Belair, United States Coast Guard, Sacramento Valley Model T Club, Sacramento Kings’ Slamson, Sacramento Regional Fire Museum, Thunderbolts Capitol Auto Club of Sacramento, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), West Sacramento Art Guild, Oscar Villegas, Yolo County Supervisor, West Sacramento Moose Lodge number 1762, Yolo County Sheriff Marine Patrol Unit and OHV Team, Yolo County Search and Rescue under the Yolo County Sheriff Office, Yolo County Sheriff’s Posse.

The West Sacramento VFW Post 8762 then held a steak dinner to honor all of our military Veterans. All Veterans ate for free that night. If you are a Veteran, or if you know a Veteran that needs any help or would just like to spend some time with his brothers and sisters of the military, VFW Post 8762’s hours of business are Monday - Closed, Tuesday - Thursday 5 p.m. - 9 p.m., Friday 5 p.m. -10 p.m., Saturday - By Appointment, Sunday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.