RRT Volunteers Help at the Council Bluffs Veterans Day Parade

It was a very dreary, cold day on November 4, 2017 for the Council Bluffs Veterans Day Parade. The weather did not stop those that came out that day to honour the veterans by participating in the parade or were there to watch.   It is figured that there are around 7,000 veterans that live in the Council Bluffs, Iowa area.

The parade began at 11:00 starting on South Main Street and went from 9^th Avenue as far as West Broadway Street and back.  The parade was open to any that wanted to participate free of charge.  There was a free lunch served after the parade at The American Legion Post 2 where participants were invited to join the fun with auctions, raffles, and prizes.

Veterans Day is a U.S. public holiday that honours ALL military veterans that have served to defend our country.  This holiday was started when the armistice was signed at the 11^th hour, on the 11^th day, of the 11^th month to end World War 1 in 1918.  It was originally called Armistice day and in 1954 was renamed to Veterans Day. 

RRT was contacted by the local police force in Council Bluffs, to ask if they would help the police with traffic control during the Veterans Day Parade.  RRT volunteers from Council Bluffs agreed to assist.  Starting at 9:30 in the morning, the team spent the next two and a half hours patrolling sectioned off areas of downtown keeping traffic from entering setting up traffic cones, barriers, guiding drivers and parade participants to their appropriate areas.

Around noon, the parade finished up and the RRT members helped clean up and were thankful to have been a support for this event.