Community members kicked off their Memorial Day activities at the City of Portage's Memorial Day Parade. The line-up began at 11am at the Portage Mall, with the parade officially beginning at noon. Parade participants included veterans, R.O.T.C members, the Portage High School Marching Band, floats for individuals running for office, and many more.
Jasmine Torrez, a spectator said, "I heard about the parade and it sounded like fun so I came to check it out."
Kids especially enjoyed racing to pick up candy that was thrown from the parade members. Most spectators were sporting their red, white and blue, especially Steven Dickens. "My favorite part about the parade is seeing the veterans and the soldiers in the parade," he said.
The parade raised awareness of those who serve. As spectator Darion Yuen said, " We came to pay homage to the veterans. It was a short parade but it rocked."
Spectators were lined up to view the parade anywhere along it's route from the Portage Mall to Calvary Cemetery. After the parade, The Memorial Day Ceremony took place at Calvary Cemetery. At the end of the ceremony, Mayor James Snyder signed the Veterans Hiring Preference Ordinance that was recently passed by the City Council. Ted Uzelac, who proposed the ordinance, said it will send a message to veterans that they are thought of and that their service is appreciated. He said it is also important that when the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are winding down, those serving shouldn't have to come home to unemployment.
"Today we celebrate and mourn at the same time, for those whose sacrifice allows us to have the freedom we have today," Uzelac said.
Mayor Snyder ended the ceremony by saying, "On Veterans Day, we are gathered to remember those who have made the greatest sacrifice known to man," and thanked the city of Portage and those involved in making the ordinance possible."