MARION, IL — The annual Veterans on Parade event is set for Saturday, September 7th at 10 a.m. on Main Street in Marion.
Edward Davis, President of the Veterans on Parade Organization, says this is the 15th year for the event honoring our military veterans and first responders from southern Illinois. This year’s Grand Marshall will be Mary Nell Chew, who paid for the entire March Honor Flight to Washington, DC after learning she could not be a guardian due to some restrictions.
Davis says she did go on the flight just as another person and not as a guardian.
Davis says the parade in its early days would go from Main Street to the Williamson County Fairgrounds where a ceremony would be held to remember those still living and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country. He says the long parade route was hard on the veterans and other parade participants, so the route was shortened and the ceremony was moved to Tower Square.
Davis says there will be two assembly points for the parade. Those riding on vehicles or floats supporting veterans need to gather at the Marion VA Medical Center no later than 9:15 a.m. Those walking in the event need to go to Marion Junior High School and be there by 9:20 or 9:30 at the latest. At 9:30, parade participants at the Marion VA will move down to Marion Junior High where the lineup will be put in place.
For more information or to register for the parade, call Edward Davis at 314-375-7170 or 618-967-9415. You may also email Davis at edward2791@att.net. You can register up until the Tuesday before the parade.