Honored guests this year at the 2005 Orion Area Holiday Lighted Parade will be US service veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan.
The Orion Parade Group invites all service people to participate who have or are serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, active or reserve components, who are locally available for the parade on Saturday evening Dec 3.
The Lake Orion American Legion will also provide the 338 US Army Band to march in the parade for the first time.
‘Having our local veterans march before the Army Band as honored guests will show community support for the sacrifices of our military service members,? said Tom Allport of the American Legion. ‘We invite all the available recent veterans to march together in the parade.?
OAPG has been planning this parade since July and wishes to contact interested veterans now to organize this parade entry with the band
‘We would love to have many service veterans contact us and participate the night of the parade,? said Joe Geraci and Chuck Saputo, parade co-chair.
Interested veterans can contact OAPG by email, info@oapg.org or call 248-693-0222. OAPG would like the service member’s name, branch of service and unit information and local contact information.
This year’s theme for the parade is ‘Christmas on Broadway.?
OAPG is a non-profit, 501 c(3) organization founded in 2003 dedicated to organizing and presenting parade events in the Orion area. OAPG works with local organizations, businesses, groups and individuals to present the premier holiday lighted parade in Oakland County every year in downtown Lake Orion.
Visit www.oapg.org for more information.