November 23, 2024
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Crystal Lake announces grand marshal for rerouted Independence Day parade

The rerouted parade will be July 7

By Shaw Local News Network
The U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard leads the parade Sunday, July 2, 2023 during Crystal Lake’s annual Independence Day Parade on Dole Avenue in Crystal Lake. This year’s parade feature close to 100 units.

The U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard leads the parade Sunday, July 2, 2023 during Crystal Lake’s annual Independence Day Parade on Dole Avenue in Crystal Lake. (Gregory Shaver — gshaver@shawmedia.com/Gregory Shaver Shaw Media )

This year’s Crystal Lake Independence Day Parade will have Blue Star Banner Program President Donna McAnally as its grand marshal Sunday, July 7.

McAnally is an active community member who serves as the Parent Teachers Association president at Indian Prairie Elementary School and created the nonprofit Blue Star Banner Program, according to a Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce news release.

“I’m honored to be chosen as the grand marshal,” McAnally said in the release. “The Crystal Lake parade is an event we look forward to each year, and being chosen this year when we’re honoring Vietnam War veterans makes this parade even more special.”

McAnally moved to Crystal Lake in 1994 from Mississippi with her husband, Danny, and sons, Brock and Franklin. Brock McAnally is a Navy veteran, and Franklin McAnally is serving in the Army. She approached the city to start the Blue Star Banner Program with a mission to create awareness of service members in the community and fostering a deeper connection and understanding with military communities, according to the release.

The nonprofit is behind the 6-foot-tall Blue Star banners that honor Crystal Lake military members along the Route 14 corridor known as “Heroes Row.” It honors 144 service members from all branches of the Armed Forces and bridges the gap between the military and nonmilitary communities.

The newly installed plaques from the Blue Star Banner Program along Route 14 in Crystal Lake have dedicated the stretch of highway as Heroes Row.

The plaques from the Blue Star Banner Program along Route 14 in Crystal Lake mark the stretch of road being dedicated as Heroes Row. (Photo provided by Donna McAnally)

This year’s Independence Day parade will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, July 7, starting at City Hall, 100 W. Woodstock St. Due to continuing construction on parts of Dole Avenue, the parade will be rerouted to West Crystal Lake Avenue and North Oak Street, concluding at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 451 W. Terra Cotta Ave.

The chamber of commerce also will recognize Jim Athans, who is retired from Chemtool and Spartan Products Inc., at the grand marshal brunch for his involvement with the parade for more than 40 years by driving the grand marshals in his Model T Ford, according to the release.

For information on the Crystal Lake Independence Day Parade, visit clchamber.com/independence-day-parade.

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