Anyone in or along Dollar Bay on Lake Orion at 3 p.m. this Fourth of July can take part in what is becoming a Lake Orion tradition – pausing from the holiday festivities to participate in a patriotic sing-a-long with Uncle Sam.
Al Krier, 83, will wear his Uncle Sam attire and be out on the lake to lead a sing-a-long of patriotic American classics.
In 2013, Krier, a resident of the lake along Dollar Bay, got into his paddlewheel and pulled together a 15-minute sing-a-long in honor of the United States, its citizens and veterans. More than 1,000 people, 100 boats and 25 volunteers astride eight red-white-and-blue paddleboats sang America the Beautiful, God Bless America and the Star-Spangled Banner, according to Lake Orion Review archives.
Gary Korleski is Krier’s neighbor and volunteered to help out this year with the sing-a-long.
“It’s growing leaps and bounds every year,” said Korleski, a U.S. Army veteran. “We have a lot of people participate. It’s getting so big, it’s crazy. You can’t even get into Dollar Bay.” – J.N.