By Sandi Latimer
Staff Writer
A couple of long-time Westland Area residents will serve as grand marshals of this year’s Independence Holiday parade to be held June 25.
Parade sponsors, Westland Area Business Association, have chosen David and Joyce Warner to lead the parade that will go west on Beacon Hill from North Murray Hill to Pasadena.
The Warners have a long history in the Westland Area. Dave’s parents lived on Pasadena Avenue in what was known as Rome when he was born. As a child, he’d decorate his tricycle to ride it in the parade, which he will now be leading. This year’s theme is “Building a Broad Future.”
After college and military service, he brought Joyce, his bride of four years, and their two children, back to his home area. Dave became active in the community and served as a Prairie Township trustee. Joyce, meanwhile, taught in the South-Western City Schools District and served on the zoning board for many years.
WABA’s Parade co-chair Nancy Day-Achauer is looking for a variety of parade entries since trophies will be given to winners in several categories. Those categories are Most Creative Float, Most Patriotic Float, Best Youth Entry, Best Walking Entry, and Best Family Entry.
Parade judges are Columbus City Council member Elizabeth Brown, Franklin County Deputy Sheriff Erica Russell, the liaison to Prairie Township, and Terry Allen of the Lincoln Village Residents Association, Day-Achauer said.
Parade entry forms can be found on the WABA website at www.waba-cols.org. Entry fees are $50 for political entries, $30 for business entries, and $10 for nonprofit entries. No fees are charged for youth groups, athletic teams or family entries.
Checks may be made out to WABA and sent to Day-Achauer at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, 5200 Sullivant Ave., or payment can be made through PayPal. Entry forms should be filled out as soon as possible, but Day-Achauer said they will be accepted up to the day of the parade.
