Wisconsin veteran coordinates July 4th parade
A local man is working with his community to put on a Fourth of July celebration after the original parade was canceled due to COVID-19.
BREED, Wis. (WBAY) -A local man is working with his community to put on a Fourth of July celebration after the original parade was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Shannon Flynn has deep ties to the Town of Breed in Oconto County.
“We grew up here,” Flynn said. “Everybody knows everybody here.”
The memorial at the baseball field is in honor of his grandpa, James Flynn, and down the block is a bar that was built by his great-grandfather.
“It was a hotel and bar back then,” said Flynn. “From then it went to my grandpa, to a cousin, to my brother.”
So when he heard the July 4th celebration his family started years ago wasn’t happening, he took it upon himself to keep the tradition going.
“I said I’m not going to cancel,” said Flynn. “I’m going to march in the parade. If it’s only me marching up and down, that’s what I’m going to do.”
Since then, Shannon said, the community has jumped on board to keep the tradition alive.
“People started contacting me and asking, ‘Can we have floats? Can we throw candy?' and I’m like, ‘Absolutely,‘” said Flynn.
He said the Independence Day parade is also important because he served in the U.S. Navy for 23 years.
“I get to give back and one honor all the people that went before me and all the ones that marched before me that are no longer with us,” said Flynn.
At the end of the parade, a softball game will be held at the field dedicated to his grandpa.
The parade will start at noon near the Arrow Head Saloon and the game will follow afterward.
Copyright 2020 WBAY. All rights reserved.
