Last weekend, 100 individual cars and motorcycles rolled through High St. in celebration of Veterans Day.

Each year, Waynesburg’s VFW Post 4793 helps facilitate Veterans Day celebrations like parades, dedications and other events. This year, VFW Surgeon Rick Black participated in the planning process for the day’s events.

“Basically, we work with people who are doing it because they want to and they are just very patriotic,” Black said.

A World War I memorial dedication was hosted Sunday, Nov. 11, in Waynesburg, in addition to the parade that took place.

There was, more or less, a dedication of World War I veterans from here that served in the National Guard from Waynesburg, Black said. During WWI, Black said, 18 Waynesburg-natives known as the ,Rain Day boys, were killed.

The Veterans Day Parade, which Black said was also prepared for by the Greene County Veterans Affairs Office, began Sunday morning. In retrospect, Black said it outperformed last year’s parade, in terms of attendance.

Teghan Simonton - The Yellow Jacket

“I would say [attendance] was better,” Black said. “It was pretty well attended considering we had something else going on nearby.”

Following the parade, a Greene County veteran, who Black said was the parade marshal, was recognized.In addition, a Waynesburg Central High School graduate acted as the main speaker.

“Following the parade at 12 o’clock, we had a ceremony honoring veterans and we honored our parade marshal who is a 93-year-old Navy veteran who wore her uniform,” Black said. “She was a former school teacher, she taught 35 years at a local school district. Our main speaker was a 1965 graduate of Waynesburg high school and a 1973 graduate of West Point.”

While there weren’t any events held directly on Veterans Day in Waynesburg, Black said there were neighboring activities in Jefferson.

Black said the influence veterans have on Greene County is everlasting.

“I believe that if it wasn’t for veterans fighting for our freedom and just serving — they don’t have to be fighting — we might not be able to go to the university, to the college, to the church or have a job if it wasn’t for the veteran,” Black said. “I think we definitely need veterans.”

Veterans, Black said, also give back to the community through sponsorship with the VFW. Some of the initiatives the post supports in Greene County include the Boy Scouts, Civil Air Patrol and Toys for Tots.

However, Black said veterans also require community support themselves. In Greene County, Black said the encouragement is forthcoming and it doesn’t go unnoticed.

“Without that support, we couldn’t survive,” Black said. “That’s why we try and do as much as we can in the community.”