Worth Knowing

COMMENTARY

From humble beginnings came Georgia’s largest parade

WORTH KNOWING

BY CAROL NIEMI

Dunwoody’s 16 at the time, is the only living participant 4th of July pa- I could find. What follows is basically his rade is the larg- story. est Indepen- When President Gerald Ford declared 1976 a national year-long celebration to commemorate the 200th anniversary of dence Day parade in GeorCarol Niemi is a marketing consultant who lives on the Dunwoody-Sandy Springs line and writes about people whose lives inspire others. Contact her at worthknowingnow@gmail.com. gia. Except for the Declaration of Independence, com2020, when CO- mittees 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 2.7-mile route along Mt. Verbrate. In the spring of 1976, the Dunwoody Woman’s Club formed a committee led by CongratulationsGerry Spruill to figure out how Dunwoody would celebrate the year. When someone suggested a 4th of July parade, DWC member Lois Kroeger eagerly volunteered to lead the effort, and she and her husband, non Road every year for the past 30 years. In 2019, it attracted more than 2,500 participants and 35,000 spectators from far and wide — all united as Americans to Carol Niemi is a marketing consultant who lives on the DunwoodySandy Springs line and writes about people whose lives inspire Class of 2021 Harlan, became the paothers. Contact her at worthknowingnow@gmail.com. At St. Martin’s, we celebrate the journey of growing up – from the formative preschool rade co-organizers. years to graduating young adults. Congratulations Class of 2021 on your outstanding She was a retired high school acceptances! Northwest Airlines flight attendant. He co-owned a wholesale furniture com- 3110-A Ashford Dunwoody Rd. pany and traveled a lot. Brookhaven, GA 30319 Neither had ever planned 404.237.4260 stmartinschool.org 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 the very first Dunwoody 4th of July parade in 1976 to celebrate the U.S. Bicentennial. and knew many people who had served and 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 Kroeger, whose parents organized the first Carol Niemi is a marketing consultant who parade back in 1976, revealed the parade’s lives on the Dunwoody-Sandy Springs line surprisingly humble beginnings. Since and writes about people whose lives inspire most of the key players have either passed others. Contact her at worthknowingnow@ away or moved away, Steve, who was only gmail.com.