A crowd of 150 people lined Greenville’s Main Street Nov. 11 to honor veterans and celebrate the grand opening of Indian Valley American Legion Post 568.
Leading the parade was an honor guard of Indian Valley veterans, who stood at attention as the Indian Valley-Chester high school band played America’s national anthem. Following the veterans were trucks, floats and marching entries that included cheerleaders, the Greenville Parents Club, 4-H and, on horseback, 2025 Taylorsville Silver Buckle Rodeo Queen Lilly Missman and Princess Lou Tenney.
Red, white and blue confetti added to the festivities, raining down on the event with appropriate timing provided by Russ Peter of Taylorsville.
After the parade Bill Cook welcomed the crowd into the American Legion’s new building at 430 Main St. in Greenville. The former building, once Greenville Elementary School, was destroyed in the 2021 Dixie Fire. The veterans used Pacific Gas and Electric Co. Dixie Fire settlement money to fund the reconstruction.
Cook, who calls himself an “agitant,” organized the dedication and lunch that followed the parade. With a spacious community room, full kitchen, bathrooms and storage space, the hall is a place where people can come together to share community goals, he said.
“This community is so important. We’ve all got to keep things together,” said Cook.
The American Legion hall hosted a Gold Digger Days pancake breakfast this summer and plans to provide Thanksgiving dinner, he said. Other scheduled events include a Toys for Tots drive to benefit local children this holiday season.
“This is just a start. We are rolling now,” said Cook.
The Veterans Day parade was sponsored by the Indian Valley Chamber of Commerce. Plumas County Supervisor Kevin Goss and Ryan Schramel, Indian Valley Academy principal, shared the emcee duties.