Veterans Day Parade Brings Community Together in Colby

Colby honored its veterans with a well-attended Veterans Day parade and ceremony on Saturday, November 15, drawing hundreds of spectators to downtown for a morning filled with gratitude, patriotism, and community pride.

The parade began on Franklin Avenue at Fike Park under clear skies, where the Colby Fire Department suspended a large American flag high above the street to welcome the procession. A Colby Police escort led the parade south on Franklin before turning east on 2nd Street and continuing north on Court Avenue, ending at the Historic Thomas County Courthouse.

The Sons of the American Legion carried the American flag at the front of the procession, followed closely by the day’s Grand Marshal, U.S. Army Sergeant First Class James Vap Sr. Vap, a longtime Colby resident with more than 40 years of service in the Army National Guard, waved to the crowd from his place of honor. For Vap, the moment carried added meaning, as he was the individuals responsible for restarting the modern Colby Veterans Day Parade in 1991 after returning home from the Gulf War.

Relatives of service members joined the parade in golf carts, side-by-sides, and wagons decorated with red, white, and blue. Thomas County EMS featured its patriotic ambulance, while local implement dealerships Colby Ag and Lang Diesel brought equipment to help anchor the lineup. A pair of horse riders added a western touch, and the parade also included hot rods, children on bicycles and scooters, and a Harley-Davidson couple riding in tribute. The Thomas County Sheriff’s Office closed out the procession with an escort.

Following the parade, a large crowd estimated at around 100 people gathered on the courthouse lawn for a ceremony filled with music and reflection. Parade coordinator Sean Hankin opened the event, inviting Chaplain Wilkes to deliver a prayer of thanks for the day and for the service of veterans across generations.

The Colby Community College Band performed the national anthem before Hankin introduced Grand Marshal Jim Vap. Vap spoke at length about his decades of service, sharing memories from his early days in the draft, his mechanical work in the National Guard, multiple trainings at Fort Riley, missions in Italy and Germany, and his deployment during the Gulf War. Reflecting on his years in uniform, Vap told the crowd, “I wouldn’t trade any of my experiences for anything as I worked with great soldiers with me and the best friends for life.”

Hankin followed with remarks highlighting the importance of honoring veterans and the long tradition behind the nation’s armed forces. He connected the day’s celebration to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States, reminding those in attendance of the sacrifices made since the country’s earliest conflicts. “This is truly the land of the free because of brave men much like Jim,” Hankin said.

The CCC Band performed additional selections before the Sons of the American Legion Honor Guard conducted a solemn 21-gun salute in memory of veterans who have passed.

The morning concluded with a light lunch at the American Legion Post, where volunteers served sandwiches, chips, and cookies to veterans, families, and community supporters. As the crowd dispersed, the spirit of the day remained clear: Colby had once again come together to honor its veterans with respect, appreciation, and a strong display of hometown unity.