What began as an idea for a discussion among three friends is now becoming an annual tradition in Hartselle.

The third annual Hartselle Veterans Parade is returning for its third year. Lee Y. Greene Jr. expects this year’s event to be the largest so far.

“What started as a good idea has become a community event that everyone can appreciate,” Greene said. “Although Veteran’s Day is on November 11th every year, the committee decided that a lot of veterans would not be off of work then, so the the date.”

This year’s parade will be Sat., Nov. 9 with displays at 9 a.m., the program at 10 a.m. and the parade following at 11 a.m. The event is free for anyone to participate or to attend.

Frank Parker, retired Alabama National Guard, will be the guest speaker. Free hot dogs cooked by the Morgan County Cattlemen’s Association will be available to veterans.

Greene said the discussion to have a parade began on Veterans Day 2010 between Cleo Stubbs, Robert Dotson and Greene.

“We thought it would be a good idea to hold our own Veterans Day Parade in Hartselle for the local veterans,” Greene said. “We each reached out to other veterans that we knew and asked if they would help us put one on. The first committee involved the three of us, Brian White, Gene Wilson, Dwaine Howard, Suzy McEuen, and several others. The response was overwhelmingly positive.”

The first parade was held two years ago with the unofficial theme “Welcome Home and Thanks for Your Service.”

“We realized during the event from the comments of both the men and women veterans that this was the only welcome home they ever got from Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan,” Greene said. “Several came to us individually with tears in their eyes thanking us for what we had done. A few years late, but a new tradition had begun.”