Downieville Honors Veterans with Parade and Luncheon

DOWNIEVILLE — Downieville held its annual Veterans Day parade and luncheon on Tuesday. With great weather for the fall event, veterans gathered at the town bell to remember fallen service members, honor the country, and parade down Main Street. The Sierra County Veterans Committee hosted the event.

Sonya Meline led the ceremonies and also performed the national anthem. As is tradition for the event, the bell tower was rung for veterans who have died. The list for the year included Dan Farrington, Scott McDermid, and Jack Marshall, who died on Sunday.

The celebration continued with a parade down Main Street to the Downieville Community Hall, where veterans were offered a free lunch provided by Boomtown Lounge and Backyard. The lunch consisted of soup, lasagna, salad, and a pumpkin cheesecake dessert. Each dish received exceptionally high marks from attendees.

Don Yegge capped the event with a speech about the sacrifices of all veterans regardless of whether they saw action in war. Yegge also urged veterans to take advantage of benefits available to them through the Department of Veterans Affairs, which could help offset the costs of medical conditions that may have resulted from their service, including hearing loss.