I want to thank Kenneth and Debby Wolf and Odas Stewart for all the work they did to make this year’s Memorial Day Parade such a success.

I would also like to thank Kenneth Wolf for being the Master of Ceremonies, the City of Niles and the City Council for allowing us to hold the Memorial Day parade. It was an outstanding day for a parade. I also want to thank everyone that participated in the parade and everyone that came out to see the parade.

A special thank you to the two World War II veterans Johnie Rodebush and Leon Williams.

A special thank you to the following participants:

• SFC Deal, SGT Wies and SGT Brown (776th Transportation Battalion) for helping out on the Firing Squad.

• Melissa Ashcraft (Transition Equestrian Stables) and Dolci Vita (the riderless horse, one of four Friesian Black Stallion which just completed filming “Albion: The Enchanted Stallion,” due out fall of 2016).

• Sherriff Paul Bailey

• The Niles City Police for leading the parade and for traffic control.

• The Brandywine High School Marching Band for the patriotic music.

• Rachel Riffle taps.

• Pastor Andrew Lile from the First Church of God for being the guest speaker and opening and closing prayer.

Even though Memorial Day is more than just parades, picnics and the unofficial start of summer, it is nice to see the community coming out to show their support for the sacrifice’s that all the men and women of the military that have passed.

It shows the family of these great men and women that their loved one’s sacrifice’s have not be forgotten by this great nation.

 

John Sly

Commander American Legion Post 26