Mad River/Enon spirit shines during parade despite rain

Urbana postpones its barbecue and fireworks.

It literally rained on Mad River Twp.’s July 4th Parade, but grins from residents young and old who lined the route shone upon it as though it were a sunny day.

The spirit of local residents was evident, Township Trustee Kathy Estep and Village Mayor Tim Howard both said Thursday of the parade put on by the Mad River Twp. (Enon) Fire and EMS Department in the village.

“There’s a lot of spirit in Enon and we had a safe parade and I think people had a really good time,” said Howard, who as grand marshal threw candy to onlookers from the window of a top-up convertible.

Many of the approximately 25 entrants in the parade were lucky enough to be in vehicles or under cover of umbrellas.

But groups like the Greenon Marching Knights and color guard kept on playing and spinning as they entertained the hundreds who lined the parade route with colorful umbrellas and pop-up tents.

Greenon High School juniors and Marching Knights members Marcus Acton, who plays clarinet, and Sam Cook, who plays baritone, said the rain was welcome after the heat of last year’s July 4 parade.

“I just didn’t like the weight from the T-shirts just soaking up all the water and keeping instruments dry for the woodwinds,” Acton said.

“It was definitely different and I’m glad (organizers) went ahead and a little rain didn’t stop it … or a lot of rain actually,” said Estep, who along with her husband and nephew watched the parade from East Main Street.

Mad River Twp.’s fire and EMS vehicles were joined in the parade by those from the jointly-funded Hustead Fire and EMS departments and others, Enon police, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, elected officials, businesses and nonprofits.

The Fire and EMS Associations donated food and time to feed residents who attended an open house at the Mad River Twp.-Enon Fire and EMS Department firehouse following the parade.

It was a different story in Urbana, where the Urbana Rotary Club Barbecue & Fireworks was postponed to a later date. A new date had not been set as of Thursday afternoon, according to the city’s website.

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