By Meg Peters
Review Co-Editor
Memorial Day is Monday, May 30 and the American Legion Post 233 aims to make the commemorative parade and their other events the best yet.
“Bring your pets, bring your classic cars, bring yourselves and your military friends to help thank our fallen comrades for serving,” parade chairman Tom Allport said.
The American Legion will start the day at 9 a.m. sharp with a ceremony at East Lawn Cemetery.
Complete with a “Taps” sounding, a wreath placing, and Commander John Ranville’s invocation speech, followed by a 21-gun salute.
At 10 a.m. commemorators will bounce over to Children’s Park in downtown Lake Orion for the wreath throwing ceremony. Participants will toss the wreaths down the Paint Creek River as a symbol for the military who have passed at sea.
Not long after that the Memorial Day Parade winds through downtown Lake Orion, beginning at 11 a.m.
This is where Allport asks the community to get creative.
“In the past we’ve had our veterans’ marching units, police and fire, but we’re really interested in having some horses this year,” he said.
Really, he’s interested in any new ideas to spark more interest in the Memorial Day events.
“We are looking for more ways to get the kids involved. That way, their parents and grandparents are out there too,” he said.
Call Allport with questions or ideas at the American Legion, 248-693-2782.
Shortly after the parade an additional ceremony will be held at the Orion Veteran’s Memorial at 1 p.m.
The Veteran’s Memorial event is usually heavily attended and hundreds of area veterans attend to pay their respects to their fallen comrades.