Grant County celebrates its heroes

Grant County organizations celebrated their heroes in grand fashion on Tuesday with a huge array of floats and participants in Silver City’s Fourth of July parade.

Seventy-seven floats lined up Tuesday morning to participate, including completely decked out patriotic creations celebrating the heroes of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Grant County veterans took center stage on several floats, including the Grant County Republican Party’s gold-trimmed red, white and blue float with “God Bless Our Heroes” in gold lettering that carried the World War II veterans who were the grand marshals in this year’s parade.

Families dressed in their patriotic finest and lined both sides of Bullard Street, setting up their chairs in a shady spot to wave their flags as they watched all of the floats pass by. Many in the crowd removed their hats and put them over their hearts as the many veterans organizations passed.

In addition to the World War II veterans, the Vietnam Veterans of America group led the parade carrying the colors. Marine Corps League Gaffney-Oglesby Detachment No. 1328 made a showing with several Marines carrying the colors and others riding in several Marine Corps League Jeeps. They took first in the Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles and Tractors category. Veterans from Allingham-Golding American Legion Post 18 had their own float, and members of the Legion Riders turned out, riding their motorcycles in the parade. The Southwest Quilters Guild celebrated veterans with their own special “Quilts of Valor” float, decked out with patriotic, red, white and blue quilts, which took third in the Float category.

The parade included several trains, including the St. Vincent de Paul Express, which took second in the Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles and Tractors category, and one pulled by an antique tractor.

Scott Terry, president of the Silver City Grant County Chamber of Commerce and organizer of this year’s annual Fourth of July parade and events, said this year’s parade entrants made a great showing.

“We were pleased with the seventy-seven entries in the parade,” he said. “It was long, yet seemed to move ahead smoothly and fairly swiftly.”

The floats wound their way through Silver City’s downtown, with Silver City Police and Fire Departments leading the way, sirens blaring.

In addition to city police and fire, all the area fire departments were out, including Tyrone, Fort Bayard, Upper Mimbres, Pinos Altos, Cliff/Gila, and Whiskey Creek, who had their own mascot at the wheel, wearing his own dachshund-sized fire chief’s hat. The Gila National Forest float featured Smokey Bear and a forest worker spraying cool water at the crowd.

Many of the floats featured various types of heroes. Silver City Mayor Ken Ladner took third in the Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles and Tractors category, celebrating “Everyday Heroes” of the town’s different departments, from fire and rescue to the museum to public works, recycling and more. First American Bank took second for their giant flag-shaped “Heroes” float, saying, “Find the hero in you.”

Among the Walking Groups, Jerry Boswell took first for his Blu Can Man one-man performance band. The Gila Friends group took second for their celebration of historical heroes, and the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks took third.

The Healing Hands Equine group took first in the Equestrian category with a great showing of ladies on horseback representing women heroes in history, including Amelia Earhart, Pocahontas, Lady Liberty, and Sacagawea.

The Silver City Museum courtyard was a great place to cool off after the parade with ice cream floats being dished up under the shade. There was live music for the adults and old-fashioned games for the children, along with face painting and more.

Crowds also gathered in the shade at Gough Park after the parade, where more music, food and vendors awaited.

“People were telling me this was one of the largest crowds we have had in recent years,” Terry said. “I found it amazing that some of our food vendors literally had to run to the grocery store because they had run out of food. When you are working the event, all I watch for is the smiles — and there were lots of smiles today.”

Silver City’s Fourth of July parade and events also served as the center of political appearances on Tuesday, not only for those legislators living here. In addition to District 28 state Sen. Howie Morales and District 39 state Rep. Rudy Martinez, who call Silver City home, District 38 state Rep. Rebecca Dow — who lives in Truth or Consequences — was joined by U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich and U.S. Congressman Steve Pearce in spending their Independence Day here, rather than where they live.

In addition to riding in the parade and chatting with supporters, Heinrich spent the day at Gough Park with the Grant County Democratic Party and other local residents. He said he based his decision of venue on the fact that he just loves it here. He said it was on vacation in Grant County, with his wife, in 2007, that he first decided to run for the U.S. Senate.

Early Tuesday morning, the senator logged time at the annual Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast, flipping flapjacks.

Before the Fourth, Heinrich spent time on the Corral Fire currently burning in the Gila National Forest. He said it was encouraging to see the fire being used in a beneficial way to control resources. Otherwise, he said many things happening in Washington, D.C., could drastically affect Grant County

“It is a strange time,” Heinrich told the Daily Press, “and New Mexico will see some big changes, if we look at the current health care bill. New Mexico, especially rural New Mexico, would suffer with a big cut to Medicaid. We have had really great representation here — like with Hidalgo Medical Services — of people who do a lot with a little to provide great care here. They can only make it with support.”

Heinrich said, though, that due to the federal health care bill’s low popularity with even those legislators in the Republican Party, Congress has the opportunity to come together in bipartisan ways to find a plan that works.

Pearce had a large showing at the parade, but folks at the Grant County GOP tent at Gough Park’s festivities said they did not know where he had gone afterward.

Fireworks capped the evening off, lighting up the skies over Silver City. Overall, it was a successful and fun celebration.

“On behalf of the Chamber Board and staff, we say thank you to all the participants,” Terry said. “We say thank you to our sponsors: PNM, town of Silver City, First American Bank, and we must thank all the people who came to downtown Silver City to celebrate our country’s freedom and independence.”