Event is a great example of what’s special about Gilroy
It’s time again, folks, for that authentic piece of small-town Americana, Gilroy’s 10th Annual Memorial Day Parade. As parade day nears, the volunteers (of whom I am one) begin to feel the need for increased caffeine intake and less sleep.
The parade, chaired this year by Councilman Craig Gartman, is an enormous undertaking in time, and causes many anxious moments until that wonderful time at 11am straight up on Monday, May 28, when the CALSTAR helicopter will transit 10th Street and the order is given for the parade to begin.
Pete Garcia is this year’s Grand Marshal, a well-deserved honor, and all the traditional entries will be there. We have our local heroes, police officers and firefighters, the P-51s, military vehicles, the Wells Fargo Stagecoach, many of our local horse aficionados, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cub and Brownies and floats by many local businesses and organizations.
Many of our entries will be ferried along the parade route by those gorgeous automotive icons of yesteryear, the 1955-57 classic two-seater Ford Thunderbirds of the Santa Clara Valley Thunderbird Club. When I was chairman of the parade in 2002, I asked my friends Carl and Bernie Epolite, of Gilroy, for help because we were short on convertibles, and Carl and Bernie showed up with about five of their friends and their cars. They had such a great time they told all the other members, and the number of T-Birds has risen each year to the current number of about 20.
As usual, Memorial Day ceremonies will kick off with a service at the cemetery with remarks by local dignitaries, a rifle salute by local veterans groups, and speechifying by dignitaries.
After the parade, there will again be the Family Fun Day in the Park, at Christmas Hill Park. There will be bounce houses and climbing rocks walls for the kids, refreshments for all, and music. The judges for the parade will also announce the winners in each category and hand out the awards.
And, it’s not too late to enter. For instance, I noted a story in Wednesday’s Dispatch about an antique farm tractor club that had a show in San Martin last weekend. So, I called Rod Herrick, who was quoted in the story, and asked him to please urge some of the local hobbyists to enter, because that’s exactly the type of unusual vehicle we like to see.
I guess the bottom line on entries is: we don’t care. If you want to be in the parade, apply. Enter your family or organization, practice up your parade wave, and walk the route. All we ask is that you enter beforehand and give us about 30 seconds of copy about your entry for the announcers.
We had about 120 entries last year, and we’re always shooting for more. Those who wish to apply can log on to http://gilroyparade.com and enter, or call Craig Gartman at 408-710-6090 for an application if you don’t have a computer.
Speaking of this year’s Grand Marshal Pete Garcia, I was at the Exchange Club award ceremony Wednesday when Mr. Garcia was awarded the Golden Book of Deeds Award for 2007. Pete’s resume is so impressive it took 10 minutes to outline. He’s retired military, the Chaplain for VFW, a yard supervisor for Mt. Madonna, and the list goes on forever from there. Here’s a man in his 80s who simply does not understand how to slow down. He is a gift to Gilroy who keeps on giving.
Although not a member of the Exchange Club, I was invited to this ceremony because my long-time friend, Officer Steve Morrow, made it a point to invite me. Steve’s award at that same ceremony was in recognition of a serious injury in the line of duty suffered while chasing a car thief in San Jose, as a member of the Regional Auto Theft Task Force.
Steven, I was touched by that invitation. Get well soon and hit the streets again, buddy. We need you, because when I hear the phrase “Gilroy’s Finest,” your name is the first one that comes to mind.
Bob Dillon is a former Gilroy city councilman and a longtime scribe. His column is published each Thursday. Reach him at
rt******@****ic.com
