War Widow Leads effort for Topeka Veterans Parade

A Topeka military widow was surprised to learn her hometown didn’t have a regular Veterans Day Parade, so she’s organizing one.

Army Sgt. Jamie Jarboe was paralyzed from the chest down after he was hit by a sniper’s bullet in April 2011 in Afghanistan. Before his death in March 2012, Melissa Jarboe talked to Jamie about one day being able to participate in a Veterans Day parade.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that after Jamie died, his widow learned that Topeka didn’t have a Veterans Day parade.

Melissa Jarboe is now organizing a parade scheduled for 11 a.m. on Nov. 11 in downtown Topeka. She hopes area military and veterans’ groups will participate and that it becomes an annual event.

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