ELMHURST MEMORIAL DAY PARADE ENTRIES IN LINE;
VIETNAM WAR VETERAN TO SERVE AS GRAND MARSHAL
ELMHURST, Ill., May 4, 2001 — Nearly 100 entries are signed up to participate in Elmhurst’s 83rd Annual Memorial Day Parade, which will march from downtown Elmhurst to Wilder Park on Monday, May 28, starting at 9:30 a.m.
Vietnam War veteran Donald E.S. Merritt, lieutenant colonel (retired), U.S. Army, will serve as the Grand Marshal for the 2001 parade.
As a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, Merritt received the Air Medal with Valor and a dozen other Air Medals for his service and heroism in battle. His military honors include two Bronze Stars, three Meritorious Service Medals, a Distinguished Flying Cross, two Army Commendation Awards and a Purple Heart.
The parade is presented by the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Elmhurst American Legion T.H.B. Post 187, Veterans of Foreign Wars Walter A. Glos Post 2048 and the City of Elmhurst.
Members of the Kiwanis Club of Elmhurst will again serves as Parade Marshals.
Fellow Kiwanians Ralph Pechanio, who will receive the Elmhurst Jaycees’ 2001 Distinguished Service Award on May 31, and John Quigley are serving as parade co-chairs.
“Our parade is a tribute to all those men and women who have so bravely put their lives on the line to defend individual freedoms here in the greatest of nations and around the world,” said Quigley, who also is president of the Elmhurst Chamber.
This year’s entries include five color guards (led by the Elmhurst Police), military officers from the United States Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, members of
American Legion Post 187 and VFW Post 2048, a Civil War re-enactment infantry unit, wheelchair veterans, military vehicles and a patrol boat.
The parade also will feature six fire departments, 11 cub scout packs, three boys scout troops, two girl scout groups, two horse troops and 12 musical entries, along with political leaders at the state and local levels.
Elmhurst mayor Thomas D. Marcucci will head a contingent of political leaders that includes U.S. Congressman Henry Hyde, State of Illinois Lt. Governor Corinne Wood, State Senator Dan Cronin, House Republican Leader Lee Daniels, State Representative Bob Biggins and the Addison Township Democrats.
Four of the musical entries hail from Elmhurst, including Elmhurst College’s world-renown Jazz Band.
The marching bands from York Community High School (Marching Dukes) and Elmhurst Middle Schools, both representing Elmhurst Public Schools District 205, and Timothy Christian High School also will perform.
Rounding out the parade’s musical groups will be the Antioch Brass Quintet, Chicago Highlanders Pipe Band, Doonaree Pipe Band, Kingsmen Drum & Bugle Corps, Orr High School R.O.T.C. Corps Band, Tebala Drum & Bugle Corps, Two Terrific Colonial Musicians and Van Moody Eagles Community Band.
The parade will step off at York Road and Third Street, and concludes with a military ceremony at the Veteran’s Memorial in Wilder Park. Starting from Third Street, the parade will head south on York Road to Second Street, veer east along Robert Palmer Drive through the underpass and west back to York Road, south on York Road to Church Street, west on Church Street to Prospect Avenue and north on Prospect Avenue past the Veteran’s Memorial.
For further information on the Memorial Day Parade, call the Chamber office at (630) 834-6060.