Liberty Twp. Fourth of July parade includes new route, other updated features

There will be more than 30 residents walking or riding in the 34th annual Liberty Twp. Fourth of July parade this year.

There are some changes in the routine this year, including the the route, which will begin at 9 a.m. Thursday from Lakota East High School and ending at Liberty Junior High School.

“The parade route changed a bit to end at Liberty Junior High for space reasons,” Christy Gloyd with the township marketing department said. “The parade used to end at Liberty Park, but we have seen an increase in parade participation over the past few years and ending at the school gave everyone more room to either turn around or for members of the walking units to be picked up.”

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The floats, vehicles and marchers will head north out of the high school parking, take Wyandot Lane over to Yankee Road and then down Yankee to the junior high.

Also new is the awards will be bestowed prior to the parade. Gloyd said they “will have more of a captive audience” if they distribute the plaques first, because people tend scatter at the end of the parade.

The categories for the awards are:

• Best in parade

• Most patriotic

• Best military/veterans

• Best float vehicle

• Best walking unit

The grand marshal of the parade is Sister Anne Schulz, retired principal and CEO of Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary School. Schulz was with the school since its inception in 1998. During the first three years she was the principal and the first and only teacher. She took the education program from a class of 20 kindergartners in a church basement to a 2018 Blue Ribbon School of Excellence with 540 students at the school at Millikin and Yankee roads.

“Sister has been the driving force and passion behind MTCES, former Board of Trustee’s Chairperson Jim Samocki. “Sister Anne has a unique gift with children. She knows how to reach them wherever they are on their individual journeys.”

As a member of the Precious Blood religious order, Sr. Anne has over 44 years of experience in education, including over 37 years as a principal. Gloyd said the township always tries to choose someone who has made a significant contribution to the community. Samocki said she has.

“The foundation of excellence and track record of success that Sister Anne has built for nearly two decades is quite impressive,” Samocki said. “I have the highest level of respect for Sister and the culture and community she has created at MTCES. She has positioned the school extremely well for continued success in the future.”

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