300 Needed to Carry Signs for Ferndale’s Foot Float Monday
(Crystal A. Proxmire, May 22, 2014)
Michigan’s Fallen Foot Float is a solemn tradition in Ferndale. Each year people walk in the Memorial Day Parade holding signs of Michigan service people who lost their lives while serving in the military.
The mile and a half parade goes through Downtown Ferndale and ends at the Memorial Mall on Livernois where there will be speeches and quiet reflection. The pace is slow so that those with youngsters and others who may not go as fast will fit in just fine.
300 walkers are needed. If not enough people come, some carry more than one sign. But the goal is to have one walker for each lost soldier.
“This is an amazing solemn and powerful parade,” said Sheila Brice on the event’s Facebook page. “The faithful who line the streets in Ferndale help pay tribute to our fallen Michigan soldiers from the Afghan and Iraq wars. We need walkers to carry photo posters of our men and women from Michigan who lost their lives and won’t be forgotten,”
Those interested in holding a sign should meet at about 8:30am at West Maplehurst and Livernois on Monday, May 26. Red, white and/or blue attire is preferred.  The parade kicks off at 10am.
Ferndale’s Memorial Day Parade is the longest-running in Michigan, with this being the 96th year.  Earl Sparkman has been named the official parade marshal for this year’s event.
For more information go to the event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/772633369448156/.
 
Previous articles on the Memorial Day Parade and the Foot Float can be found at:
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2012/06/01/2012-memorial-day-parade/
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2012/05/15/honor-michigans-fallen-in-memorial-day-parade
http://oaklandcounty115.com/2012/06/27/ferndale-soldier-dies-in-afghanistan/