Ansley Saville (left), event co-chair, and Linda Liles, American Legion Post 5 Ladies Auxiliary, add the final touches on Monday to bags containing donated items from state and local companies at The Forum. About 40 volunteers from the Daughters of the American Revolution, Rome Federated Gardeners and American Legion Post 5 Ladies Auxiliary packed approximately 1,000 bags that will be given to Iraq veterans and their families during the Georgia Honors Iraq Veterans event in Rome. (Daniel Varnado / Rome News-Tribune)
Soldiers are expected to arrive in Rome at different times before the start of the 11 a.m. parade, said Linda Liles of the Ladies Auxiliary of Post 5 of the American Legion.
Hundreds of veterans are expected to be in Rome for the parade down Broad Street that will begin at 11 a.m. and will feature bands, floats and veterans.
The soldiers will be coming from all across the state, Liles said.
A group of dignitaries — including Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Marietta; Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ranger; Pete Wheeler, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Veterans Affairs; Maj. Gen. Jim Butterworth, adjutant general of the Georgia National Guard; Floyd County Commission Chairman Irwin Bagwell; and Rome Mayor Evie McNiece — will watch the parade from a grandstand set up across from City Hall.
Gov. Nathan Deal will be at The Forum following the parade and will read a proclamation. He is not expected to attend the parade.
The fairgrounds will be the center of activity this morning and Saturday morning as floats are prepared for the parade before they are moved to Glenn Milner Boulevard, where the parade will line up before it begins, according to Liles.
Downtown Rome is awash in red, white and blue with merchants displaying flags, including a large one that is draped in front of Citizens First Bank.
“It’s a great time for Rome to shine,” McNiece said.
The parade will begin with a motorcycle processional down Broad Street, followed by fly-overs from TigerFlight and the United States Navy.
After the parade a Rome city bus and the trolley will be available to take veterans from where the parade ends at Heritage Park to The Forum, where lunch will be provided to veterans and their families.
Veterans will be given armbands that will identify them, Liles said.
For those who are not veterans,
several food vendors will be available with food to purchase at The Forum, Liles said.
Rome Public Works’ crews will be making sure the streets stay clean during and after the parade.
Public Works Director Jamie McCord said there
will be extra garbage cans and recycling cans on Broad Street during the parade, much like there are during the Christmas parade.
A crew will be working to clean up after the parade, McCord said.
“An hour or two after the parade, you won’t even know there had been a parade,” McCord said.
Broad Street from Eighth Avenue to Second Avenue and Second Avenue from Broad Street to the levee will be shut down between about 10:40 a.m. and about 12:30 p.m.
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