Ovando parade draws record crowd

More than 20 floats whose occupants threw candy, glow sticks and misting water towards the crowd of 200 plus viewers. The floats circled the Ovando community at least three times on the Fourth of July in Ovando this year.

The parade led by the Lincoln American Legion Post 9 went from Trixie's parking lot to the town square, where they stood at attention while Zia Kloetzel, from Ovando and now a Nashville resident, sang the National Anthem. Behind the color guard came Jon and Jan Farrar on foot in historical costume and the Ovando Volunteer Fire Department which drove their first fire truck, a 1942 GMC driven by Don McNally.

Included in the parade were Elaine Caton, and Martha Swanson carrying a "Save Holland Lake" banner, Bridget Lapka with a gator full of nieces and nephews armed with water balloons for the crowd. Local antique vehicle owner Jim Lindquist drove his red 1930 Model A Ford and an amphibious vehicle surprised everyone, among other vehicles and a few horses and a mule.

The Department of Natural resources fire crews brought up the rear passing out frisbees. They entered several vehicles flashing their lights.

The Ovando Volunteer Fire Department hosted their traditional barbeque, serving over 300 burgers and hotdogs to the crowd who scattered about the town square to eat in the sunshine and mild temperatures.

 

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