Sanford Kelson, president of the Crawford County Chapter of Veterans for Peace, is planning a Veterans Day celebration in downtown Meadville this November. He has sent invitations to high school bands, fire departments, ambulance services, veterans organizations, local officials and others to take part in a parade and then attend a special ceremony.

He recently secured a city parade permit, another permit to use the Diamond Park gazebo, and he expects about 1,000 people to attend — “to honor the service and sacrifices of all veterans.”

However, preliminary response to the Nov. 11 event has not been too receptive from some prominent veterans in Crawford County.

Fred Cunningham, director of the Crawford County Office of Veterans’ Services, said he has not yet received information about the event, but based on what he was told by the Tribune, he said won’t be there. “It’s for the wrong reason,” he said of the event. “I won’t be affiliated with them,” referring to the Veterans for Peace. “I know what he is about,” he said about Kelson. “I’m not going to be there. I will not participate in that,” noting his displeasure with Kelson and his activities.

Crawford County Commissioner Morris Waid reserved comment about whether he will attend. “I really don’t have enough information,” he said, noting he, too, has not received an invitation.

And Phil Davis, commander of the Coming Home Association Post and a member of the Veterans of Vietnam War Post 52, said, “I doubt it,” about whether he would attend. “It will have to be up to the (post’s board of directors) to make the decision.”

“I don’t know whether we want to be involved,” Davis said, adding that Kelson telephoned him Monday night and they had a “nice talk,” but Davis is concerned about possible “confrontations” between the peace group and other veterans groups.

One such encounter has already taken place. On April 28, a group of veterans and another crowd that was rallying for peace were both demonstrating in Diamond Park at the same time. The day ended peacefully, though communitywide tension leading up to that Saturday was apparent.

But Kelson is optimistic the Nov. 11 parade and celebration will honor veterans by “encouraging local citizens to dedicate themselves to peace and to exercise their First Amendment rights that are the foundation of American democracy.”

He said he is hoping the event can be “an opportunity for the local community to unite around our common love of freedom, civil liberties and our shared hope for lasting peace” — that “is the best way to respect and honor the memory and service of all our veterans.”

One group likely to take part is Women in Black. Marcia Metcalfe, one of the organizers of that group’s Meadville chapter, said members have “not talked about it yet. I will assume we would want to participate to honor veterans. I think we will.” For almost four years, Women in Black has held vigils every Saturday in Diamond Park, calling for peace, for an end to the war in Iraq, and to bring the troops home.

For Kelson and Metcalfe and others, their sentiments will be echoed by the Nov. 11 event’s keynote speaker. At 2 p.m., Jonathan Hutto, who is serving with the U.S. Navy at Norfolk, Va., will address the crowd. He is with the Confederation of Appeals for Redress, organized by active military members to petition Congress to let legislators know they want an end to the war in Iraq, said Kelson.

According to an Internet site, the federation is calling for “immediate military withdrawal from Iraq as a proud, proactive and patriotic act.”

Still, Davis remains cautious. He said while everybody seems willing to try to be patient and appreciate other viewpoints, sometimes that doesn’t happen. “It’s hard for our group to ignore them,” he said, noting some group members of the Veterans for Peace have challenged his group in the past. He said it was especially hard for “combat veterans” to ignore the activities. “I would rather see us not get involved.”