Bethany Lions - 57th Annual Memorial Day Parade

The 57th Annual Bethany Lions Club Memorial Day Parade will be held on Monday, May 30, 2016. Organizations wishing to march, please email: bethanylionsparade@gmail.com or go to our website at: http://www.bethanyctlions.com/ or Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BethanyCTLions. Send us a message with your organization name and contact information.

Parade is rain or shine. Parade line up is at 9:00 am with parade kick-off at 10:00 am from the Bethany Airport (Rt. 63) Southbound to Bethany Town Hall, Peck Road. Ceremony honoring veterans will follow immediately after the parade at Bethany Town Hall. Parade drop-off is the main airport entrance on Rt. 63; it will be a one directional traffic pattern. You will be directed to drive through the airport property by members of the Bethany Emergency Response Team as to where to drop off and/or assemble. Exit will be the North Driveway by Fire Headquarters onto Rt. 63. We ask that you drive in a slow, safe manner and follow the traffic pattern/instructions so that our parade participants are kept safe – Thank You!

This year the parade Grand Marshall is Bethany resident Art Slicer. Art and his wife Mattie have been Bethany residents for over 47 years. Art began his military career at East Hartford High School in East Hartford as a member of the Navy Reserves. After graduation he enlisted in the Navy and served for two years. As many of his friends were enlisting in the Army, Art soon followed after them by becoming part of the volunteer draft, subsequently de enlisting in the Navy, enlisting in the Army and serving oversees during the Korean War. His specialty was operations and he was sent to South Korea near the front lines serving as a front line coordinator of the trains and transportation of troops and equipment to and from the front line. After the armistice in 1953, Art was discharged and returned home.

Art enrolled and graduated from Springfield College and received his masters in Social Work at Boston University. Art started his long career as a PE and health teacher serving school systems in New Jersey, Massachusetts and finally at Hamden High school as a PE and health teacher, which after 18 years he retired as the coordinator of prescriptive PE.

He has served his community of Bethany over the years in many capacities from starting the Bethany after school youth soccer program under the auspices the Park and Rec department, former member of the Park and Rec Commission, baseball coach, member of FACT committee, and most recently as chair of the Airport committee. In 2003, Art was one of 400 US military personnel (and 400 allied troops) to be invited back as guests of the South Korean government to Seoul, South Korea to be honored as part of their 50th anniversary of the armistice with North Korea. His wife Mattie accompanied Art on this trip and travelled to the DMZ zone where the armistice was signed, participated in several ceremonies and events as well as a trip to Japan before returning back home to Bethany.

Won’t you join us on Monday, May 30th? You can't miss the military personnel and equipment, school bands, local organizations, animals and yes, those awesome vehicles - there is something for everyone! A wonderful Bethany family event that will make lasting memories - we hope to see you there!