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Veterans Parade Tries To March On

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By ANGELA DELGADO, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 7, 2007

TOWN 'N COUNTRY - The annual Veterans Day Parade is not financially stable, but organizers are still holding the popular event.

"We've barely got enough to do the parade," said parade chairman Brian Boyle. "We're going to do it and the finances continue to roll in at a trickle, but we do have enough, we think, to cover our expenses. It'll leave us with nothing in the bank when we're done, but next year is another year. We'll just raise more money next year."

The parade takes place from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Every year the route begins at Morgan Woods Elementary School, 7001 Armand Drive, continues to Hanley Road and heads south to Webb Middle School, 6035 Hanley Road. The parade is almost a mile long.

This year's honoree is Army Sgt. Bryan C. Luckey, who was killed by a sniper in Mosul, Iraq, on June 29, 2006. Col. Robert Thomas - Commander, MacDill Air Force Base, and Commander, 6th Air Mobility Wing - will serve as grand marshal.

Luckey, from Tampa, graduated from Emmanuel Christian Academy in 1999, and attended Hyles-Anderson College from 1999-2000 and in June 2001, he married Catherine. After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, earning a promotion to sergeant in two years and receiving numerous medals. His wife was expecting their first child when Luckey was killed.

Organizers have raised $5,000 for the parade. It typically takes $7,000 to $9,000 to hold the parade.

"I really wish we had more so we could do more, but there are things we're not going to do this year," Boyle said. "We do what we can with the money that we have."

This year organizers will give away 750 flags instead of the usual 1,500. Also, marching bands won't receive the $300 donations organizers contribute to pay for uniform dry-cleaning bills.

"That's something we do if we can," Boyle said.

Anyone interested in donating can call (813) 961-6194, visit www.veteransparade.org, or mail donations to Veterans Day Parade Group, P.O. BOX 262125, Tampa FL 33685. Donations are tax deductible, Boyle said.

Reporter Angela Delgado can be reached at (813) 865-1501 or adelgado@tampatrib.com.

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