Patriot Parade salutes veterans at Central Nebraska Veterans Home

KEARNEY, Neb. - A patriotic ceremony rolled through Central Nebraska Wednesday and continued its tradition of honoring local veterans ahead of independence day.

The Kearney Veterans of Foreign Wars once again organized their now-annual Patriot Parade for the Central Nebraska Veterans Home Wednesday morning.

The parade featured a flyover from CHI Health’s AirCare helicopter, and was accompanied by dozens of vehicles including local first responders, City officials such as Mayor Jonathan Nikkila and city council member Alex Straatmann, along with state representatives like Senator Stan Clouse and former Senator John Lowe.

Organizers and participants alike said the event helps show support to veterans and their families ahead of the July 4th holiday.

"It's an honor to be able to give back to our, our fellow brothers and sisters who served and their families because regardless of what you think families suffer almost as much as the member who serves," said Air Force Veteran and event organizer Kim Deyo. "So it's always been a pleasure to do that with that mentality in mind."

This year’s event also featured the largest donation is the parade’s six-year history, with the All Nebraska Tractor Drive donated $10,000 to the Central Nebraska Veterans Home’s activities fund.

Organizers say the money will go a long way in paying for activities such as fishing tournaments, bingo nights and more for the residents.