As the old adage goes, "Never ever take our freedom for granted, because our freedom is not free." Veteran's Day, a day to honor our veterans who have served in the United States Armed Forces, will be here before you know it. It's observed the same day every year, November 11.

According to the City of Pittsfield and the Mayor's Office, the City of Pittsfield Office of Veterans’ Services has announced that its annual Veterans Day Parade will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 11. The ceremony will be held at Veterans Memorial Park on South Street.

Director John Herrera notes that the event will be contingent on public health data. Facial coverings are encouraged and attendees should adhere to social distancing as necessary. He had this to say:

In the event that there is a spike in COVID-19 cases late in the month of October or in early November, the parade will be canceled, however, the ceremony will still take place at Veterans Memorial Park. We will be sure to keep everyone updated if there’s a change.

John Herrera

For those participating in this year’s parade, lineup will take place 9:30-9:45 a.m. on Fenn, Pearl, and Allen streets, departing from City Hall at 10 a.m. The group will proceed to North Street, headed toward the park on South Street. Please contact Herrera to confirm your organization’s participation.

This year’s guest speaker and Veteran of the Year is U.S. Air Force Veteran Robert “Bobby” Dassat. The master of ceremonies will be Fran Tremblay, former Marine and current Commander of Vietnam Veterans Association, Chapter 65.

Stay tuned to local radio stations and Pittsfield Community Television (PCTV) for information pertaining to weather-related updates on CityLink 1303 and PCTV Select available at PCTV.org. For more information, please contact Herrera at 413-499-9435.

LOOK: 100 years of American military history

KEEP READING: Scroll to see what the big headlines were the year you were born

Answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

Vaccinations for COVID-19 began being administered in the U.S. on Dec. 14, 2020. The quick rollout came a little more than a year after the virus was first identified in November 2019. The impressive speed with which vaccines were developed has also left a lot of people with a lot of questions. The questions range from the practical—how will I get vaccinated?—to the scientific—how do these vaccines even work?

Keep reading to discover answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions.

KEEP READING: Here are the best places to retire in America

More From WBEC AM