ORLANDO, Fla. \u2014\u00a0A group of Central Florida veterans is working on a special project together \u2014 assembling floats for Orlando’s 26th annual Veterans Day Parade on Saturday.<\/p>\n
What You Need To Know<\/p>\n
Orlando’s 26th annual Veterans Day Parade is Saturday, Nov. 8
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This year, the parade is relocating to Lake Nona from downtown and steps off at 11 a.m.
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Festive Floats, based in Polk County, has a group of veterans who works on floats for the parade<\/p>\n
Bob Collins spent 22 years in the Navy. He enlisted in September 1971 and worked as a boiler operator before retiring in March 1993.<\/p>\n
Collins works for Festive Floats, a company based in Fort Meade in Polk County. This week, he worked on wiring electrical boxes for a float so speakers and lights can get plugged in.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter my military days, I\u2019ve been a stationary engineer now for about the last 25 years working in hospitals, doing basically the same thing I was doing in the military,\u201d Collins said.<\/p>\n
This year, Festive Floats co-owner Billy Attix said his team is working on floats for Commissioner Jim Gray and the Orlando Veteran Affairs office.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been working on the Veterans Parade for about three weeks,\u201d Attix said. \u201cWe\u2019re customizing some of our floats to make it military-based to honor those who have served, those who have lost their life.\u201d<\/p>\n
The parade is a long-running event for residents to remember and honor those who served our nation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re able to give back to the good, give back to humanity, bring that smile that somebody needs. Just an escape for five minutes of your normal life,\u201d Attix said.<\/p>\n
Collins said he enjoys pulling the floats and seeing people have a good time, while connecting with other veterans along the way.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s kind of an honor, it really is, especially driving in the parade with the veterans on it and the Wounded Warrior people,” Collins said. “They do a lot of good work for the veterans.”<\/p>\n
The long-standing tradition is moving from downtown Orlando to Lake Nona for the first time.<\/p>\n