Memorial Day parade brings young
and old together to honor the dead
Anthony Koebel held his granddaughter, toddler Payton Mies, in his arms as she waved her American flag in one hand and waved to the people in the Memorial Day parade with the other hand.
“Even though she may be too young, we still want her to get a sense of pride,” grandma Paula Koebel said.
Among the 25,000 people who came together Monday, an overwhelming number were children and teenagers with their grandparents and parents. It may have been a perfect way for some to bridge the generation gap.
Small children filled the sidewalks of Broadway from Stephens College west to Providence Road. Their eyes and fingers followed parachuters as they descended to the ground.
Police patrol cars and motorcycles kicked off the parade with flashing lights, and some children hopped on a ledge near some flowers, standing on their toes to get a better look. Others found comfort sitting on their dads’ shoulders.
Sitting on her mini lawn chair and playing with her two little sisters, Kassidy Jones, 7, awaited what was to come. What is Memorial Day to Kassidy?
“It is a day to celebrate people who died for us,” she said.
Kassidy’s dad, Sgt. Scott Jones, sat behind her, listening to her explanation with a grin on his face. He served in the Marine Corps in the Persian Gulf War.
“It’s good to remember our heritage, and it’s good for kids to remember their heroes,” Jones said.
Some teenagers volunteered to help during the parade, such as Savanna Fornili and Anna Miller. Savanna, 16, and Anna, 15, were passing out red, white and blue streamers to every car in the parade. They were there with Anna’s grandparents, who helped organize the Memorial Day event.
Among spectators and the 130 military groups walking down Broadway in the parade were marching bands and color guards from Rock Bridge and Hickman high schools and Oakland, Jefferson and West junior high schools.
“It’s important for kids to be here, celebrating life and service,” said Helen Cope, an English teacher at Oakland Junior High School. “It is a positive experience for everyone.”
Cope said the schools don’t talk as much about Memorial Day as they do about Veterans Day because of the timing of the holidays. But she said the schools do stress the importance of citizenship throughout the year.
Band and color guard students weren’t required to attend, but Hickman senior Molly Winkelmann said, “This is good practice for us, and it is a good ‘thank you’ to veterans.”