The Bowling Green Parade Committee is hosting the annual Memorial Day parade in honor of those who died for our country. The parade, running annually for more than 20 years, will be held Monday May 29 starting at 10:30 a.m. Secretary and treasurer of the committee Bob Wink said he is hopeful for a large group of community members in attendance for the parade.
“We are expecting a nice turnout for the parade, like usual, as long as the weather cooperates,” Wink said.
Featured in the annual parade will be the Am Vets auxiliary for women, sons of Am Vets, a Korean War veteran group of Lucas County, the BG high school band, Starlight Twirlers, boy scouts, girl scouts, the American Legion and others.
“Everyone will be dressed in their parade outfit, not their military outfit, while walking through town,” Wink said.
According to Wink, the parade will start in the post office parking lot, and the marchers will head north on Main Street, having their first stop at Ben Franklin.
Continuing on, the next stop will be held at the Cla-Zel Theatre, where a Civil War reenactment group will drop into a firing line as a demonstration.
After the reenactment, the parade marshals will make a stop at the Courthouse, where they will lay wreaths on the monuments.
The parade marshals consist of guest speaker Keith Bradley, former mayor Wes Hoffman, County Commissioner Aldin Perkins and Mayor John Quinn.
The actual parade concludes around 11 a.m. However, the community members are welcome to continue walking to the Oak Grove Cemetery on Ridge Street, where a program will be held by the parade marshals, as Wink has stated.
“We usually have a big group that follows us to the cemetery, which is great, considering it is quite a walk,” Wink said.
The program will be lead off by a bagpiper and the BGSU ROTC Army Persian Rifles.
A firing squad by the National Guard #148 will also head community members into the program. This particular group of the National Guard is leaving in June for Iraq, said Wink.
The BGHS band will play the National Anthem and according to Wink. The reading of General Logan’s orders and Wes Hoffman’s reading of the Gettysburg Address will also take place.
Following all the activities, there will be an indication by Pastor John Randall.
At 1 p.m., there will be a short service at the Memory Gardens Cemetery, located at 130 South Main, featuring guest speaker Keith Bradley.
The parade committee responsible for holding this parade consists of seven associations. These include American Legion post 45, VFW post 1148, Am Vets post 711, Wood County Voiture post 1095, the Military Order of the Cooties, Center Township Memorial Association and Memory Gardens Memorial Association.
