Old Soldiers Day Parade Marches Into Alpharetta

ALPHARETTA, GA -- In early August, the Rotary Club of Alpharetta will mark its 25th anniversary as part of the 64th annual Old Soldiers Day Parade.

The event will be held Saturday, Aug. 6, and will be accompanied by the 38th annual Old Soldiers Day Race. That race, which for the first time will offer an 8K route, will begin at 7 a.m.

The parade will follow the race at 9:15 a.m., and Rotary Club organizers Joel Canada and Randy Schiltz are hard at work decorating floats and organizing a cookout planned for club members and friends at Wills Park following the event.

The float will carry this year's grand marshal for the parade, Chris Weeber.

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“As a 10-year member of Alpharetta Rotary and one of many military veteran members of the club, I am honored to be a special part of our club’s Old Soldiers Day Parade contingent this year," Weeber said.

Weeber graduated from John Hopkins University in 1966 and upon graduation, he entered the United States Air Force and served from 1966 to 1972.

Serving as a pilot during the Vietnam War, Weeber flew across southeast Asia as a forward air controller in the OV-10 and completed more than 200 combat missions.

Weeber received, among other decorations, the Air Medal with 11 Oak Leaf clusters and the Distinguished Flying Cross. He later enjoyed a successful career with Delta Air Lines and retired in 2003.

"I am honored that Chris Weeber will be our grand marshal for the day because he is deserving of this recognition," said Rotary Club President Jason Binder. "Rotary Club members thank Chris for his service to our country. I love that the Rotarians, their families and friends will be in the parade having fun, celebrating and fellow-shipping together for the day.”

For those interested in the Old Soldiers Day Race, early-bird registration is $24 and will be available through 4 p.m. Friday, July 29. All mailed entries must be postmarked by this date. Early bird T-shirts and race numbers can be picked up from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 3-4 at the Alpharetta Community Center at 175 Roswell Street.

Race-day registration is $30, and kicks off at 6 a.m. T-shirts are not guaranteed for race day registrants. Additionally, active duty military and veterans can register during early bird or on race day with no cost for participation.

Registration, pre-race warm-ups, presentation of awards, and post-event festivities for all ages will be held on the event lawn behind the Alpharetta Community Center. This year’s race awards will be dog-tag style medals.

To download a race registration form, visit www.alpharetta.ga.us and click on the Resources tab. For more information, contact 678-297-6100 or accprograms@alpharetta.ga.us.

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Photo: pictured left to right are William Perkins, Chris Weeber and Jason Binder. Credit: Rotary Club of Alpharetta