ESSEX JUNCTION, Vt. (WCAX) – A little rain Saturday morning didn’t keep people away from an early Memorial Day parade.

The city of Essex Junction had their 38th Annual Memorial Day Parade at the city’s five corners.

The event started with honoring the parade’s three marshals.

Then over fifty individuals and floats walked down Lincoln St. and over a thousand people came to give their support.

Veterans in the community say this is a difficult time for them.

“I deployed in 2005 to Ramadi, Iraq with Task Force Sabor from Vermont. We lost eighteen individuals. Today’s powerful for me and our friends because we know that there are families that aren’t enjoying this day with their service member,” Sgt. Max Rooney of the Vt. National Guard said.

Veterans want to remind people Memorial Day is a day for remembrance, not a day of celebration.

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