Loyalty Day Parade Honors Veterans’ Spirit of Service

NEW LENOX, Ill. May 4, 2018 – Forty years ago, World War II and Korean War veteran William Athans and fellow members of the 18th District V.F.W. Posts, including Harry E. Anderson V.F.W. Post 9545 in New Lenox, began a parade to commemorate a little know national holiday—Loyalty Day—and Americans’ dedication and shared values of freedom and service to our country and community.

On Sunday, May 6, dozens of veterans’ groups and community organizations will participate in the 40th Annual William A. Athans 18th District V.F.W. Posts’ Loyalty Day Parade—a milestone New Lenox resident Athans and his fellow members could not have imagined those many years ago.

This year the parade, which has over 55 entries, is paying special tribute to World War II and Korean War veterans, who like Athans, often brought the spirit of service to their communities after their military service ended. Several World War II veterans will also be honorary parade marshals.

“What I’ve always been struck by is that my Dad and all of these veterans didn’t view their duty to serve as ending after the war,” said Sharon Athans Stratton, daughter of Athans and parade co-chair. “They brought that sense of service and deep love of America to their communities by joining their local V.F.W. Posts to help their fellow veterans and volunteer in their communities. That’s what we hope the legacy of this parade becomes—not only reaffirming our Loyalty to America but celebrating our veterans’ service and our shared values through giving back to our communities.”

While many may not be aware of the holiday, on July 18, 1958 the Veterans of Foreign Wars won a Congressional public law which declared May 1 as Loyalty Day. Public law 85-529 set aside one day a year to reflect on what our country’s freedoms mean to us.

The Parade will begin at 2:00 p.m. on May 6 at the corner of 4th Street and Cedar. The participants will then march north on Cedar to Haven Avenue, turning West onto Haven to Veterans’ Parkway and ending at the Veterans’ Memorial in the Commons.

In 2008, the VFW Posts honored the parade’s founder, William A. Athans, by adding his name to the official parade title. Athans, was a V.F.W. Post 9545 member and along with the help of the VFW Posts of the 18th District, he ran the parade every year until he passed away in 1994. Since then, the parade is lead by a committee of V.F.W. Post 9545 members and the Athans’ family.

The New Lenox V.F.W. Post will host an open house and refreshments following the parade. For more information about the New Lenox V.F.W., visit: http://www.vfwpost9545.org/ . For information about the V.F.W. organization go to: www.vfw.org

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Bridget Stratton

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