Hamilton To Host Fourth Of July Veteran’s Parade

When you think of the Fourth of July, what images pop into your head: fireworks, a relaxing day off of work or the sacrifice made by American soldiers? As the picture of valiant soldiers fighting for our country’s freedom fades from the minds of many Americans, the true meaning of this holiday begins to fade away. This July 4^th, however, Hamilton will work to revive the event’s significance by hosting “Hamilton’s Welcome Home Veteran’s Parade.”

The parade, featuring roughly 750 members of the military, will occur on Wednesday, July 4, at 9:30 a.m. at Grice Middle School. The parade will continue for one mile, ending at the Kuser Road entrance to Veteran’s Park.

Attendees can expect to find a multitude of stations in Veterans Park geared toward providing information regarding services available for families of military members, as well as military-related programs.

The parade is the first of its kind for New Jersey, serving to primarily honor those who have bravely fought in Iraq’s Operation Iraqi Freedom and Afghanistan’s Operation Enduring Freedom.

Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton) stated,

While a parade is just a small token of gratitude for these veterans. I encourage service members and New Jerseyans from all corners of our state to join in these festivities to pay tribute to our military.

Veterans interested in participating in Hamilton’s parade are encouraged to contact Vice Commander Jeffrey Bock at (609) 890-9809. Organizers are also urging musical groups to participate in this historic event by contacting Assemblyman DeAngelo’s office at (609) 631-7501 or via e-mail at AsmDeAngelo@njleg.org.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania student Kristen Gilmartin contributed to this article.