DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) – Hundreds lined the streets of downtown Delaware Sunday to celebrate the community’s veterans with a parade, music, and lots of waving flags.

The Veterans Parade brought out a big crowd, from people watching and waving to the hundreds of participants in the parade itself.

“It’s really touching because I have watched it from, like, when they first started,” resident Janie Padilla said. “And I will tell you, it has grown a lot, and we have even more and more people come out.”

For Padilla, there’s a personal tie to the parade, too.

“I was there during the entire Cold War,” she said. “My husband served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I came in just a few short years after Vietnam was over. So, for me, you know, I know more Vietnam vets than they do Iraqi vets. It’s kind of nice to see them come out or that they’re still around.”

Generations of veterans came out to march and watch the festivities, including Ohio’s secretary of state, who helped lead the procession.

“I’m proud to salute my fellow veterans, but really, this is also about the next generation,” Secretary of State Frank LaRose said. “I’ve seen hundreds of kids along the side of the route waving their flags. I saw a couple young people trying to do their best salute, and it’s about passing that sense of patriotism on to the next generation.”

That next generation helped make up the parade.

“This is my first time ever marching in this parade,” Delenn Souder, a member of the Air Force Delaware County Junior ROTC, said. “It was a lot of work just to keep up, but it was really fun overall. It was really nice to see all the people that supported all of us and just kept on cheering this on all along the way.”