POMEROY — A 10 a.m. parade through downtown Pomeroy Saturday will kickoff the fourth annual Veterans Appreciation, MIA-POW Remembrance Day observance hosted by Drew Webster Post 39, American Legion.

Parade units are to organize at the ball field in upper Pomeroy at 9 a.m. and move out from there. No registration is required to participate. Several bands have been invited to take part. The Meigs Marauder Band has confirmed their participation, and Wahama and Wirt County bands which have taken part in past years are also expected to be in the lineup. No political units are to be included in the parade which also excludes throwing candy to spectators.

Grand Marshall and speaker at the observance will be U.S. Air Force Col. John M. Morris, a Meigs County native, who is stationed in California. Morris, who has 27 years of military service, is the recipient of awards and decorations including four meritorious service medals and the Bronze Star Medal. He currently is the director of communications and information at March Air Force Base in California.

Again this year, Pomeroy native Lt. Col. Jennifer Menchini-Kirby, commander of the 142nd Aeromedical Evacuations Squadron, Delaware Air National Guard, and her flight nurses who work in the evacuation of injured military personnel, will be returning to participate in the Veterans Appreciation-POW/MIA Remembrance Day observance.

Grand marshalls of past events along with the Legion and VFW posts of Ohio and West Virginia are expected to be represented in the parade as well as boy scout troops and perhaps veterans who now reside in local nursing homes.

The Veterans Administration and several other organizations from neighboring counties will have booths on site, and military equipment will be displayed. Food booths will be operating, as well.