COMMENTARY
From humble beginnings came Georgia’s largest parade Dunwoody’s 16 at the time, is the only living participant 4th of July paI could find. What follows is basically his rade is the largstory. est IndepenWhen President Gerald Ford declared dence Day 1976 a national year-long celebration to Carol Niemi is a marketing consultant who lives on the Dunwoody-Sandy Springs line and parade in Georcommemorate the 200th anniversary of writes about people whose lives inspire others. Contact her at worthknowingnow@gmail.com. gia. Except for the Declaration of Independence, com2020, when COmittees formed throughout the country VID canceled to plan celebrations. After the political turit, cheering moil of the 1960s, Watergate and the Vietfans have lined nam War, Americans were ready to celeboth sides of its brate. 2.7-mile route In the spring of 1976, the Dunwoody BY CAROL NIEMI along Mt. VerWoman’s Club formed a committee led by non Road every Gerry Spruill to figure out how Dunwoody year for the past 30 years. would celebrate the year. When someone In 2019, it attracted more than 2,500 suggested a 4th of July parade, DWC memNiemi is from a marketingber consultant who lives oneagerly the Dunwoodyparticipants and 35,000 Carol spectators Lois Kroeger volunteered to Sandy Springs line and writes about people whose lives inspire far and wide — all united as Americans to lead the effort, and she and her husband, others. Contact her at worthknowingnow@gmail.com. At St. Martin’s, we celebrate the journey of growing up – from the formative preschool Harlan, became the payears to graduating young adults. Congratulations Class of 2021 on your outstanding rade co-organizers. high school acceptances! She was a retired Northwest Airlines flight attendant. He co-owned a wholesale furniture com3110-A Ashford Dunwoody Rd. Brookhaven, GA 30319 pany and traveled a lot. 404.237.4260 stmartinschool.org Neither had ever planned a parade, and neither had Dunwoody, which was still 32 years away from cityhood. Many thought it couldn’t be done. And the Kroegers had but a few months to re-create an all-American parade like the ones they loved growing up in the Midwest. As Steve remembers, they turned to neighbors, friends and family to help to recruit local businesses, churches and civic organizations. What they lacked in experience, they made up for with enthusiasm. “My parents were very patriotic,” said Steve. “They were in high school during World War II, when everyone was united. They were raised to appreciate our freedoms Lois Kroeger with her husband, Harlan, who organized and knew many peothe very first Dunwoody 4th of July parade in ple who had served and 1976 to celebrate the U.S. Bicentennial. many casualties.” celebrate living in the freest country on the Read the full story online at reportplanet. ernewspapers.net. But a recent conversation with Steve Carol Niemi is a marketing consultant who Kroeger, whose parents organized the first lives on the Dunwoody-Sandy Springs line parade back in 1976, revealed the parade’s and writes about people whose lives inspire surprisingly humble beginnings. Since others. Contact her at worthknowingnow@ most of the key players have either passed gmail.com. away or moved away, Steve, who was only
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Class of 2021
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JULY 2021 | 19
