WWII vets to be grand marshals for Anthem parade

This News By You article was submitted by representatives of the Daisy Mountain Veterans Day Parade and Family Picnic.

The grand marshals for the 2008 Veterans Day Parade and Family Picnic are World War II Veterans.

The Daisy Mountain Veterans Day Parade and Family Picnic is planned for Nov. 8. The parade begins at 10 a.m. starting from the Boulder Creek High School parking lot and ending at the Anthem Community Center. The route goes north on Gavilan Peak Parkway, east on Anthem Way, then south on Freedom Way to the community center.

A family picnic begins in the baseball complex in Anthem Community Park immediately after the parade and ends at 4 p.m.

Phil Barbier, chairman of the World War II Veterans Search Committee, asks all members of the north Valley communities to help contact WWII veterans and their families.

"We are contacting all the veterans organizations we know," Barbier said. "There are hundreds of organizations, and very few can give us current contact information. It is reported we are losing our WWII heroes at the rate of about 1,500 per day. Nearly 100 members of Daisy Mountain Veterans are actively searching. So far, we have nine grand marshals confirmed. We are communicating with dozens more."

Family members can ride with their grand marshal in the parade, he said. They may even build a family float or decorate the family car. Daisy Mountain Veterans will cooperate with families on participation and transportation. Families may contact the group at

DaisyMtnVets@cox.net.

Steve Long and Mary Ann Derryberry are co-chairmen of the 2008 Daisy Mountain Veterans Day Parade and Family Picnic.

Daisy Mountain Veterans is an alliance of the members of American Legion Daisy Mountain Post 128, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12031 and American Legion Auxiliary Unit 128. For membership information, contact Long at Stevelong15@qwest.net or 623-551-9105.

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