Under clear blue sky, residents of Bensalem and surrounding communities lined Bristol Pike with lawn chairs and blankets. Many of them dressed in red, white and blue.
On Monday, Bensalem began the Memorial Day celebration with a short memorial service at Harry T. Clunn V.F.W. Post #9220, in Eddington.
The memorial service was followed by the parade.
Veterans of the Harry T. Clunn V.F.W. Post #9220 and Bauer-Hartman-Marszalek V.F.W. Post 9198 in Andulusia lead the parade.
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| Louie (Dog) Katie Stella,6,and Alexis Bahner, 11, of Bensalem watch the Bensalem Memorial Day Parade from a step Diane Davies-Dixon/Photo |
They began marching from Suzuki Fun Center in Bensalem, down Bristol Pike to Mill Park, the city line with Philadelphia.
“I think it is the greatest thing to show the men and women in wars that we back them,” said Joseph Santivasci, 70, of Bensalem, an Army Veteran himself.
“For some people this day means a day off from work,” said Santivasci. “To me it means that people fight for what they believe in. They have so much love to give their life.”
“Freedom around the world is what we are fighting for and I am proud to be an American,” said Santivasci.
Carrie Fielding, 30, of Bensalem, has been coming to the parade since she was a little kid and carries on the tradition with her own two children.
Taking a day to celebrate and remember why the country has the freedom it does makes the day special when you grow up in a military family, according to Valerie Bahner, 48, of Bensalem.
“Remembrance of veterans and all they did,” said Bahner. “My life would not be as great as it is if not for them.”
