Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 16, 1991 TAG: 9103160234
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-3 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The March for America Memorial Day Parade will go from the Roanoke Civic Center - through that weekend's Festival in the Park - and end at Victory Stadium.
City special events coordinator Laban Johnson says he anticipates the parade will be two to three hours long.
"I really think it's going to be a monster parade," he said.
"The mother of all parades," added Anne Marie Green, the Roanoke County public information officer who Friday joined Johnson in announcing the parade.
Johnson said the four valley governments - Roanoke, Roanoke County, Salem and Vinton - had received so many inquiries about what they intended to do to welcome home Persian Gulf soldiers that they decided to join together to sponsor one event.
Johnson said he hopes to have a parade marshall "of national stature."
President Bush had asked that Americans make this year's Fourth of July celebration the biggest ever to honor veterans. But Johnson said it's difficult to line up high school bands for parades during the summer, so that's why this one will be held on Memorial Day.
However, budget cutbacks are making it difficult for many high school bands to travel these days, Johnson said, so he issued a public appeal Friday for contributions to help pay for bands' travel expenses.
He said parade organizers would need "several thousand dollars" for both bands and liability insurance.
Those wishing to make a contribution to the parade fund should make checks payable to March for America and send them to the Salem Civic Center, P.O. Box 886, Salem 24153.
Salem is handling the money as part of that city's contribution. Roanoke County will provide publicity, while Roanoke and Vinton organize the parade itself.
Groups wishing to enter the parade should call 981-2236 or obtain an entry form from the Roanoke City Office of Special Events, 210 Reserve Ave. S.W., Roanoke 24016.
The May 27 parade is just one of a growing number of events in the Roanoke Valley planned to honor veterans:
On Wednesday, there'll be a benefit concert by country music star Moe Bandy at the LancerLot in Vinton to raise money for the Terry Plunk Memorial Scholarship Fund. Plunk was an Army lieutenant from Vinton who was killed in the war.
The four governments also announced Friday they'll sponsor a special ceremony on Veterans Day weekend in November in Salem.
by CNB