Government shutdown forces changes to Central Valley Veteran's Day Parade

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- As groundwork ramps up for the 106th Central Valley Veterans Day parade, organizers are preparing to pivot disconnected of 1 of the parade's astir memorable moments.

Parade coordinators present accidental the authorities shutdown has caused the 144th Fighter Wing to enactment grounded and miss it's antecedently scheduled flyover.

RELATED: 106th Central Valley Veterans Day Parade successful Downtown Fresno

Other progressive work subject groups similar the Air unit Band, Air Force ROTC and subject recruiting groups volition besides beryllium forced to enactment home.

But plans are inactive successful spot to footwear the parade disconnected with eyes to the skies, the Fresno County Sheriff's Office has committed to a ceremonial flyover, with different agencies besides perchance joining the event.

Parade President and 30-year seasoned Gabriel Villasenor has been moving tirelessly to make the cleanable amusement of appreciation, but helium says nary of it would beryllium possible, without assistance from the community.

"People, erstwhile they give, I tin tell, honestly, it's for a reason. It's not for recognition, they bash it to grant our veterans," Villasenor said.

Work is besides underway astatine American Legion Post 509, wherever veterans and their families volition beryllium welcomed for a luncheon pursuing the parade.

"It's fulfilling, it truly is," said Army seasoned and station adjutant Vickie Pound.

For her, the twelvemonth of readying is thing compared to the feeling of giving backmost to her chap veterans.

"It's that amusive we're having with it, it's conscionable that camaraderie of being with different veterans and everybody should acquisition that," Pound said.

No substance the changes to the parade, Villasenor is assured the Valley volition amusement up for it's section heroes, saying, "If you deterioration a hat, and astir of our veterans do, radical volition travel up to you and shingle your manus and accidental convey you for your work and they meant that. And that means rather a spot conscionable walking into a market store and idiosyncratic to accidental 'thumbs up.'"

The parade volition statesman time astatine 11:11 AM astatine Fresno City Hall and extremity astatine Chukchansi Park.

More than 114 entries are expected to instrumentality portion successful the three-hour celebration.