DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Thousands of people returned to the De Pere Kiwanis Memorial Day Parade in 2022.
Including Adam Urban and his family, who say they wave the American flag with pride on Memorial Day.
“This isn’t really about the guys that survived, it’s for the heroes who didn’t make it home.”
The Marine veteran and his family have been coming to the parade for the past 10 years.
Urban says his family knows the meaning of Memorial Day thanks in part to events like the parade.
“It’s good that they get to see even the old guys, the guys who everyone thinks are really old, but in reality, they are some of the toughest people we know.”
This is the first De Pere Memorial Day parade since COVID-19.
“We have 75 units in the parade, in 2019, the last time we put it on we had close to 90,” said Parade Chairman, Terry Hasselbacher.
Hasselbacher says there are fewer entries this year because businesses and groups are experiencing staffing shortages and don’t have the means to come.
But he guessed there wouldn’t be a shortage of spectators.
“We always estimate 15,000 to 20,000 people,” said Hasselbacher.
98-year-old Anita Powers waved to the crowd. She served as part of the Navy sector when she was 20 years old. Now, she’s sitting on the all-woman veterans float down the parade.
“It’s very emotional the last time we were in the parade I had to do all I could not cry.”
Powers says she watches with pride as kids wave their flags in excitement.
“The moms that are standing by with their kids saying ‘you can do this too if you want,” said Powers.
Some members of the Urban family have specific reasons why they love the parade, “Getting to see all the candy and all the people happy.”
But parents say the true joy comes from teaching kids the true meaning of Memorial Day.
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