From The Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM — The nation’s longest-running Veterans Day Parade will be a little different in 2020 because of COVID-19. The parade will be in the form of submitted videos streamed live.
Organizers are asking for participants to submit videos showing their enthusiasm for our nation and our nation’s heroes.
“Dress up, decorate, wave, shout, whatever works for you and who you are,” said Col. Danny W. Sample, Jr., of the National Veteran’s Day Foundation. “Just please help the oldest Veterans Day Parade in America present itself in a slightly different way – hopefully for this year only!”
The purpose is to keep people safe from the coronavirus while continuing the parade.
Sample said marching bands and drill teams are also invited to participate.
The parade will be topped off with a grand finale fireworks show from Regions Field.
The parade will be streamed on Wednesday, Nov. 11. The deadline to submit a video is Wednesday, Oct. 21. Detailed instructions on how to create and submit a video are below.
When shooting the video:
* Use landscape position (sideways) – never Instagram (portrait)
* Keep it to :60 seconds or less
* If possible, send it in .mp4 format.
* If you are inside, make sure there is light on your faces, and if there
are only a few of you, that you fill the screen with your bodies, not from
across the room. Make sure your camera is sideways, like a flatscreen TV.
* Follow the examples on the next page, and use your own wording, if you
like.
Email your videos to Karen Day at karenday205@gmail.com If the videos are
too big to email, let Google Drive prompt you, and follow its instructions.
We will email you when we have received your video. If you have a
complication, email her about that, too. Include your phone number. If you
do not have Gmail, try anyway. If it fails, email her and we’ll figure out
how to get it from you.
Group Greetings for 2020 National Veterans Day Event
* Let the group stand fairly close together, to fill the screen.
* Take ideas from the two suggestions below, and please keep it to 1 minute
or less.
* Make it your own. These are examples. Be loud and clear.
* Thank you so much!!
Template #1 Again, make the wording your own. This is an example.
Leader:
* Hello, we’re the (________ chapter of) the _______________________, from
_________, Alabama.
* Say a sentence about your group’s purpose, or that it is the
oldest/newest/biggest chapter in your area.
* We want to thank American military veterans, especially those in Alabama,
Everyone:
Happy Veterans Day!
Template #2
Happy Veterans Day from the _________________ of _________, Alabama!