NILES — A volunteer with the American Legion is hoping to make this year’s Memorial Day parade a bigger and better tribute to veterans who lost their lives serving their country.

Bob Ahrens, commander of the American Legion Post 26, is helping to organize the community’s annual parade and encouraged the community to sign up and get involved.

The parade will take step off at 9 a.m. Monday, May 27 and proceed from State Street, down Main Street, and to Silverbrook Cemetery. At the cemetery, Ahrens will give a speech. He is currently working on getting members of an honor guard to participate. 

Ahrens encouraged local businesses, schools, bands, clubs and organizations to be part of the parade line up. Those interested are advised to call Ahrens for an application. He can be reached (269) 277-4765. The application deadline is May 21.

Last year’s event saw about 15 units participating in the parade. Ahrens said this year he hopes to see that number double.

On Wednesday, Ahrens said he visited a number of businesses to ask for their participation. He also paid a visit to Mayor Nick Shelton and asked him to help drum up some support.

So far, Ahrens said both the Brandywine High School and Niles High School marching bands have offered to march in the parade. Ahrens said the bands have been a fixture in the parade for a number of years. He has also seen some support from local businesses.

Ahrens is a Navy veteran who served during the Vietnam war era. He was stationed on U.S.S. Charles P. Cecil DD-835 in 1972.

When Ahrens thinks about Memorial Day, he thinks about memorial wall commemorating Vietnam veterans in Washington D.C and each of the 52,800 names listed.

“We usually knew somebody that didn’t come back,” Ahrens said. “Almost every veteran knows someone [who died].”

Ahrens encouraged the community to come out to the parade and show their support to veterans. Too often, he said Memorial Day is thought of as another holiday and a chance break out the grill and kick back for a three-day weekend. Instead, he said he hopes residents will remember what Memorial Day’s meaning.

“To honor all of us veterans,” Ahrens said. “Of course, this is Memorial Day [a chance to remember] those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. There are still World War II veterans living, but we are losing too many every day.”

Other Memorial Day events:

The Buchanan American Legion Post 51 will host a Memorial Day Parade starting at 10 a.m. Monday, May 27. The route will follow Front Street, west to Terre Coupe Street out to Oak Ridge Cemetery.

For information regarding participation in the parade, people can contact Marvin Pruett, parade chairman, at (269) 695-6633. In case of rain, services will take place at the American Legion Post 51, 403 E. Front St., in Buchanan.