When Mike Marchell was a young child, he went to the Park Rapids 4th of July parade with his parents, Dennis and Karen. He remembers darting back and forth on Main, grasping candy thrown from floats slowly parading by.
"The candy and the cars are what I remember most," he said.
This 4th of July he will see the parade from a different point of view, riding in a Jeep as grand marshal.
His name was chosen from those of several veterans nominated in honor of the 2006 parade theme: A Salute to Our Veterans.
Marchell graduated from Park Rapids Area High School in 2002. He joined the National Guard and returned from his first Iraqi tour in December with the rank of specialist.
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Marchell, 21, is currently employed as an electrician at Marchell Electric Inc.
Riding with him will be Don Singlestad, parade grand marshal in 2004. The World War II veteran, who lives on Long Lake, is the most decorated noncommissioned officer in the United States. All veterans are invited to participate in the parade as honored guests by calling the Park Rapids Lakes Area Chamber office at 732-4111. Vehicles will be provided for all who sign up.
In addition, representatives from all veterans groups and military support groups are invited to a meeting at 1:15 p.m. Thursday at the Chamber office on Highway 71 south.
Organizer David W. Konshok, a member of the US Air Force Reserves and a graduate of Park Rapids Area High School, has moved back to his hometown and volunteered to chair this year's parade.
"We've always had great participation from our military organizations and we hope for even more this year to honor our theme," Konshok said.
Three new awards have been added, including one for the entry that best relates to the theme. Other new awards are best children's or youth entry and best musical entry. Other categories in which awards are presented are: most humorous, best classic car, best animal, best muscle car and best of show.
The 2005 parade drew 125 entries and cost about $3,000 to put on, according to Chamber executive director Katie Magozzi.
In addition to a $5 entry fee per unit, sponsors are invited and needed so the show can go on.
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There are three levels for giving: Roman candle - $200 or more with donors receiving a podium announcement, program recognition and a $50 ad on the back of the program; bottle rocket - $100 with donors receiving a podium announcement and program recognition; and firecracker - less than $100 with donors receiving program recognition. In the alternative, sponsors may purchase a $50 ad in the program.
Organizers are also seeking performers to entertain downtown starting at 3:30 p.m. July 4th. In the past, crowd pleasers have included musicians, dancers and a martial arts demonstration. Anyone interested in participating is asked to contact the Chamber or Mike Boterman at The Music Shop.
The parade will start at 5:30 p.m. with a somewhat longer route to give parade watchers a little more elbow room.
Registration will start at 3:30 p.m. at the parking lot of the Church of Christ, 707 No. Main Ave. Entries will line up on Monico Lane with the parade turning south onto North Main Main Avenue, continuing on South Main to 5th Street and then heading west to Fair Avenue, ending at Heritage Living Center.
In addition to the Chamber of Commerce, Konshok said the Park Rapids Rotaract Club and Downtown Business Association as well as the Park Rapids police and public works departments are helping with this year's parade.
Rotaract and Downtown Business Association members also will be helping with crowd control.
For safety's sake, all parade participants are reminded not to throw candy from moving vehicles, but to walk along the sidelines and hand it out.
