Parade lovers are counting down the days until the 44th annual Troy Flag Day Parade steps off at 1 p.m. June 12 in the Collar City.
This tribute to Old Glory will proceed north along Fourth Street, from South Troy into downtown, to the delight of thousands of area residents.
I personally can't wait to see Bill Peak make his way along the parade route as grand marshal. Bill was the force behind the 2007 founding of the local Patriot Flight Inc. effort, which raised thousands of dollars to send local World War II veterans to Washington D.C. for free so they can view the impressive World War II memorial that was constructed in their honor.
Now retired from that effort, Bill will be riding along the parade route with Ron Lewis, who succeeded Bill as president of Patriot Flight, and Record financial columnist Ray Osterhout, who served as an advisor to the program.
When Bill passes by, give him a wave and a round of applause for all he has done on behalf of the WWII veterans of the Capital District.
Meanwhile, fund-raising efforts to support the parade continue. The total of the Flag Day Fund Drive, sponsored by The Record, now stands at approximately $7,900, more than $2,000 short of its $10,000 goal.
There is no question that times are tough, but anything you can do to help this effort would be greatly appreciated by the Troy Flag Day Committee. This hard-working group works almost year-round to put on this spectacular tribute to our nation's flag and they are extremely grateful for any size donation toward this cause.