Photos by Alan M. Dumoff
Children ride in a parade float created by the youth groups from Church of the Assumption, Galloway Township and St. Nicholas Church, Egg Harbor City. Below, St. Nicholas youth group members walk in the July 3 parade.
Youth and military veterans came together on the morning of Saturday, July 3 in Galloway Township to celebrate the birth of the United States of America, and remember the sacrifices made by those fighting to preserve the nation’s freedom.
Classic cars, bands, and floats processed along Moss Mill Road, with participants dressed in red, white, and blue and waving Old Glory. Veterans marched alongside youth groups from Church of the Assumption, Galloway Township, and St. Nicholas Church, Egg Harbor City, who built a parade float that included a Tree of Peace, with white doves carrying the names of war veterans, that were contributed by parishioners in remembrance. Children of the parishes, who recently received first Communion, got to ride along in the float.
Meeting every Thursday in June, the two youth groups got together to help in the construction of different parts of the float, such as painting the float, or glittering letters and doves. Assumption Regional Catholic School students, the Knights of Columbus, and Hispanic Ministry youth also marched in the patriotic parade.