A flurry of patriotic activities await the community on Tuesday as Porterville honors its veterans.

The Veterans Day festivities kick off at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Centennial Park with the dedication of the “Time Marches On” Frank “Buck” Shaffer tower town clock to the city of Porterville.

The dedication will be short and last an approximate 15 to 20 minutes and will start with Teen Idol finalist and Porterville’s own, Vanessa Martinez, singing “God Bless America.”

Speaking at the short ceremony will be Porterville High School band director Jim Kusserow, former Monache High School band director Dale Anderson, Porterville city manager John Longley, and Robert Roman, head of the “Time Marches On” committee that is spearheaded by the Porterville High School Class of 1975.

In addition, many of the identification units from local middle and high schools will be on hand for the ceremonies, said Sheila Seaman, treasurer of the committee.

Mayor Cameron Hamilton will accept the presentation of the clock on behalf of the city.

Bill Shaffer, son of Porterville’s musical icon — the late Frank “Buck” Shaffer — will also be present.

After the dedication, the 90th annual Porterville Veterans Day Parade will begin.

With a theme of “Patriotic Memories,” the parade is scheduled to start at 10 a.m., will last about an hour and a half, and have 130 entries.

“We will have a very nice variety of entries this year and it won’t take quite as long as previous years,” parade chairman Ed Flory said. “It should go down the street fairly smoothly and fast.”

Miss Porterville, Alexandria Aiello, the Veterans Homecoming Queen, and her royal court — senior princess Hannah Riswold and attendants Cheyenne Nall, Jocelyn Patino and Julia-Rose Padilla — will preside over the festivities, as will parade grand marshal Robert Hansen, VFW commander of the 24th district.

As the parade winds down, people are encouraged to stop by the Historic Women’s Club at 265 N. E St. where the Colonial Veterans Tea takes place.

The tea runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. but people are encouraged to stop by and visit at any time, chairwoman Lynn Beavers said.

Hamilton is the featured speaker.

As the afternoon approaches, the bands that participated in the Veterans Day Parade will gather for the 2008 Veterans Day Buck Shaffer Band-A-Rama, a mass performance of 16 bands and nearly 70 majorettes and twirlers, at Porterville College’s Jamison Stadium, 900 S. Main St.

The show is dedicated to the city’s servicemen and servicewomen who are currently ready to give their lives for their country, Kusserow said.

Thousands of people are expected to attend the popular annual event that begins with Miss Porterville and her attendants being introduced prior to the event.

At 1:15, three bands — Orosi High School Band, Cesar Chavez Titan Band and the Exeter High School Band, will be featured during a pre-show.

The Band-A-Rama is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. and offers each band an opportunity to be showcased individually prior to the mass performance. A spot in the show will again be given to all of the majorettes to perform while the bands play military hymns of the various branches of the service.

Monache High School band director Dale Anderson will conduct the mass band, and Fred Knutsen will serve as master of ceremonies.

At 7 p.m., the public is invited to the Veterans Memorial Building, 1900 W. Olive Ave., for the Veterans annual drawing. Through the day, members of VFW Post 2001 and American Legion Post 2, will sell tickets for a drawing. Monetary prizes of $1,000 and $500, as well as lesser prizes, will be awarded Tuesday night.

“It will be a short, fast gathering,” Flory said. “We won’t have any food or any other agenda — other than the drawing. By that time it has been a very long day and we don’t want to keep people out longer than we have to.”

-- Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1047, or eavila@portervillerecorder.com.

2008 Veterans Day Parade Lineup

1.   American Legion Color Guard
1a.  VFW Color Guard
2.   Springville UFW Mounted Color Guard
3.   Sheriff’s Posse
4.   Grand Marshal — Robert Hansen
5.   Granite Hills Band
6.   Hanford Elks
7.   Veterans Homecoming Queen’s Float
8.   General Chairman
9.   American Legion Post 20
10.  VFW Post 2001 and auxiliary
11.  Supervisor Mike Ennis
12.  Strathmore Middle School Band
13.  Steve and Shirley Rodgers, Classic Auto
14.  Larry and Sylvia Barney, Classic Auto
15.  Porterville City Council
16.  Porterville Fire Department
17.  Tulare County Service Offices
18.  Cesar Chavez Band, Earlimart
18a. Terra Bella American Legion, Post 779
19.  Military Order Purple Heart
20.  Central Valley Vietnam Veterans
21.  AMVETS Post 56
22.  Tule River Native Veterans Post 1987
23.  Jim Innis
23a. NAS Lemoore A4 Float
24.  Sunnyside School Band
25-28. California Cadet Corps
29.  Comision Honorifica, Jr. Float
30.  Strathmore High School Band
31.  Springville VFW, Vintage Military
32.  Leonard Perry, Vintage Military
33.  Pat and David Willis, Vintage Military
34.  Jerry Hogan
34a. Dan Bennetts, Vintage Military
35.  Helping Hands
36.  Clowing from the Heart
37.  Little Caesars Dizzon
38.  Filipino american Club, Sr. Float
39.  Imperial Ambulance
40.  Rockford Elementary School band
41.  Jim Rummell
42.  Bill Noble, decorated car
43.  Tulare County Sheriff Volunteer Patrol
44.  Tulare County Shriners Club
45.  Bartlett Middle School band
46.  Porterville College Sr. Float
47.  Happy Honkers car club
48.  Cub Scouts 135 Jr. Float
49.  Springville Rodeo Queen
50.  U.S. Forest Service
51.  Yokuts Nay-Shun
52.  Mr. And Mrs. C.L. Bash
53.  Kaweah River Senior Drill Team
54.  Sociedad Progresista Jr. decorated car
55.  Sierra Hills Retirement
56.  Tulare County Fire Department
57.  Boy Scout Troop 152 Jr. marching unit
58.  Cal Fire
59.  Mariachi Academy Sr. Float
60.  Breakfast Lions decorated car
61.  Giovannis Pizzaria and Arcade
62.  Woodlake Lions Rodeo Queen
63.  Los Robles Cheerleaders Jr. Float
64.  TC Sheriff Mounted Patrol
65.  Olive Street School Jr. Float
66.  Monache High School band
67.  Doris Williams, classic auto
68.  Rollin Relics Car Club
69.  Tulare County Sheriffs Dept. misc entry
69a. Fred hughes, classic auto
70.  Burton Middle School band
70a. Emblem Club, Sr. decorated car
71.  Porterville Elks, Sr. decorated car
72.  California Hawaii Elks
73.  Zion Lutheran School Jr. Float
74.  Filipino American Assocation Sr. Float
75.  Carl Smith Middle School band
76.  Cristian Perez, baton solo
77.  Porterville Canterbelles
78.  Porterville Shelter Workshop Sr. Float
79.  Toys for Tots
80.  Porterville Youth Football Jr. Float
81.  Porterville Freedom Riders, motorcycle club
82.  Porterville Developmental Center Sr. Float
83.  Porterville High School Panther Band
83a. PHS Class of 1937
84.  Strathmore Youth Football Jr. Float
85.  Central Valley Chargers Jr. decorated car
86.  Finance and Thrift Commercial Entry
87. 
88.  Jobs Daughters Jr. decorated car
89.  Exeter High School band
90.  Porterville Harley Davidson motorcycle club
91.  Pleasant View 4H Jr. Float
92.  Back Country Horsemen Mounted Group
93.  Orosi High School band
94.  Democratic Women of Tulare County Sr. Float
95.  Black Bear Diner
96.  American Legion Post 20 Riders, motorcycle club
97.  Danielle Martin, misc. entry
98.  Success Gymkhana Mounted Group
99.  Porterville Kiwanis Jr. Float
100. Sequoia Middle School band
101. Sequoia P.T. Cruisers
102. Pizza Factory Jr. decorated car
103. Destiny’s Dance Team Jr. decorated car
104. Flying Eagle Naval Sea Cadets Jr. Float
105. Jackass Mail Run Horse drawn vehicle
106. A Wish your Heart Makes Sr. Float
107. Pioneer Middle School band
108. Camp Zap
109. Zapalac for Sheriff
110. Porterville Cougars Youth Football Jr. Float
111. The Brickhouse
112. Manentes Lakeside Bar and Grill
113. Wa-lMart Transportation
114. El Monte Lobo band
115. Girl Scout Troop 1038 Jr. Marching Unit
116. Visalia Rockettes Mounted Drill Team
117. Relay for Life
118. Tipton Community Veterans
119. Cub Scout Pack 116
120.
121 E. Clampus Vitus
122. Positive Phlo Dance Baton Group
123. Porterville Twirlerettes
124. Sensation Baton Group
125. Dazzling Dynamics