Aberdeen Lions March in National Memorial Day Parade

It’s 7 p.m. Monday, May 30, and Memorial Day 2011 is almost history. 

I’ve just returned from the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington D.C. where I walked with 120 other Lions Club members from Maryland, Washington and Northern Virginia.

This was a first for me but not for the Aberdeen Lions Club. 

I’ve often thought of how lucky we are to live so close to Washington and all that the city has to offer—the architecture, the history, and the energy that pulses through its streets.

The National Memorial Day Parade was a great way to explore the city and be part of a first-class event as well.

Aberdeen Lions Club past president, Tom Gray, spent the last two Memorial Days in Washington proudly carrying the Aberdeen Lions Club banner in the parade.  But this year, Tom’s work commitment wouldn’t allow him to be there. So, Lions Club First Vice District Governor-elect Skip Hoffman of the Aberdeen Lions, Churchville Lion Fred Guenthner and yours truly made the trip down “inside the beltway.”

We took the Metro from Greenbelt and got off at the National Archives stop just two blocks from our staging area.  We quickly located the large motor coach painted Lions purple and gold being used as our base of operations. Incidentally, this was the same coach that is custom-outfitted to provide free sight and hearing screening at the Maryland State Fair every August.

The area adjacent to the coach was abuzz with fellow Lions getting their club banners attached to CPVC pipe that had been fashioned into a sort of medieval, crusade cross that we would carry with us in the parade.

Pepsi graciously donated plenty of water and soda and we also had chips and other snacks on hand. 

To our surprise, a 1957 yellow Ford T-Bird that would be the ride for parade Grand Marshall Pat Sajak was parked in the street next to our coach. Many of us hung around the car hoping to catch a glimpse of the popular Wheel of Fortune host.  But it wasn’t to be—car and driver pulled off, apparently to pick up Sajak closer to the review stand before the parade started.

Still, there was plenty to hold our attention as we waited. Marching bands from all four branches of the military staged just across the street from us and practiced their orders before their turn to march.

Washington Mayor Vincent Gray was also waiting near our staging point.  One of the Lions from the Washington area, walked up to the vintage Cadillac Eldorado in which mayor Gray was sitting and pointedly asked him, why the DC Lions were no longer allowed to screen school kids for sight problems as had been done in the past.

To Mayor Gray’s credit, he quickly took out his Blackberry and made a call inquiring why the free eye screening in his city had been stopped and what had to be done to have it reinstated.

The 2 p.m. start time quickly approached.  The Lions were near the front of the parade, but we still we saw several groups that fell in ahead of us.  A fire engine from Shanksville, PA, commemorating Flight 93 that crashed there on 9/11, rode past us.  Two men representing the 9th and 10th Horse Calvary of the Buffalo Soldiers drove past us as well.

The Order of the Purple Heart also had a float that carried a number of men who had been horribly wounded overseas.  Three of them were in wheelchairs—both of their legs missing.  Others at the back of the float had prosthetic legs and were sitting in chairs.

At  2:40 p.m., it was finally the Lions’ turn to start their march down the 10-plus blocks of Constitution Avenue that made up the parade route. 

Holding our banners proudly we marched as a group waving to the throngs of spectators on the curb and sidewalks.  I heard many cheers and applause as we walked by with many saying, “Thank you, Lions for your service and volunteerism.”

We proudly walked past the review stand and past the National Archives building.  At precisely 3 p.m., the entire parade stopped in its tracks, removed hats and listened to a bugler blow taps.  I don’t think I’m the only one who was in earshot of the bugler, who got goose bumps.

We walked at a steady pace, never really having to stop and start.

Now, I remind you that the temperature was in the 90’s and the sun was bearing down on all of us as it reflected off of the macadam.  

The Lions who marched in the parade ranged in ages from a few years old to 87. Surprisingly, the heat didn’t seem to bother us but we saw quite a few teenagers who had been in a high school band either collapse or be carried away for heat exhaustion and dehydration. I think the fact that we didn’t wear heavy, dark-colored clothes and play instruments kept all of us vertical and off the ground.

The remainder of the parade was fun but uneventful. 

We turned the corner onto 17th Street and were met by Washington first responders with water and a spray tent.  We watched even more people being carried into two metro buses that had been set up as a sort of medical triage as we packed up the CPVC banner crosses that we were given.

Skip, Fred and I looked for a Metro stop that would take us back to our car.  After we walked a few blocks and asked directions, we found the stop and made our way back to the Greenbelt Metro Station.

I know I’ll be back next year representing the Aberdeen Lions Club and the United States of America as we honor those who died defending this country.

I hope to see you there!