LF_081017

4 | August 10, 2017 | The lake forest leader NEWS
LakeForestLeader.com
Lake Forest Day Parade, 5K unites community
Alyssa Groh, Editor
For more than 100 years,
Lake Forest residents have
setup chairs along the
streets in Lake Forest for
the annual Lake Forest
Day Parade.
This year, with the sun
beating down at more
than 80 degrees, hundreds
of Lake Forest residents
cheered on organizations
in Lake Forest during the
annual Lake Forest Day
Parade on Aug. 2.
Vinnie Dolan, who has
been the parade chairman
for 25 years, said the parade
has been held on a
Wednesday for as long as
he can remember.
“The parade is something
that has been around
for more than 100 years,”
Dolan said. “It is on a
Wednesday which makes
it unique. There are people
that like that it is on
a Wednesday and that is
were the tradition part of it
comes in.”
Dolan said like many
others in Lake Forest, he
and his family plan their
vacations around the week
of Lake Forest Days.
“It is kind of a labor of
love for those of us who
are involved in running the
parade,” Dolan said. “It is
something that takes a lot
of time and takes community
spirit. We are so fortunate
we have people in
the community who are so
interested in the parade.”
With community spirit
high, Dolan said organizations
throughout the city
come up with unique and
impressive floats for the
parade.
This year, there were
more than 80 organizations
who entered the
parade and showed their
pride for not only the city,
Lake Forest Open Lands, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, participated in the
annual Lake Forest Day Parade on Wednesday, Aug. 2. PHOTOS BY ALYSSA GROH/22nd
Century Media
but for the organization
they are a part of.
Participants ranged
from Dickinson Hall, Gorton
Community Center,
Lake Forest Country Day
School, CROYA, Fresh
Market and more.
To recognize participants
for all of the hard
work they put into making
their floats, a variety of
awards were given out.
The School of Saint
Mary took home the commanders
trophy and Sunset
Foods in Lake Forest received
the award for most
original.
There were also first,
second and third place
awards for church/school,
civic/fraternal, commercial,
neighborhood, and
youth. East Lake Academy
took first place for church/
school, Lake Forest Library
took home first place
for civic/fraternal, Forest
Orthodontics and Pediatric
Dentistry won first place
for commercial, the 1930
Model A Ford by Ray and
Kathy Kracik won first
place for neighborhood
and Girl Scout Service
Unit 410 took home first
place for the youth award.
For a full list of award
winners and parade entries,
visit www.lakeforestday.com.
Lake Forest Day festivities
did not stop with the
Lake Forest Day Parade,
there was also a 5K Fun
Run/Walk to start the day.
Sixty-three brave participants
woke up early and
began the 5K run/walk at
7 a.m. at Deer Path Community
Park. Children and
adults alike ran by with
smiles on their faces eager
to finish the race.
“We try to be very
family-oriented,” said Jason
Busdeker, the facility
manager at Lake Forest
Parks and Recreation Department
and the coordinator
of the race. “There
are always a few younger
kids running which is
great to see. For them to
be able to be out there doing
something healthy and
to be able to accomplish
almost three miles and
huge for them and great
to see.”
Busdeker said the race is
another tradition of Lake
Forest Days and since he
has been helping coordinate
the race the past two
years, the weather has
been great.
Not only is it part of
tradition, but Busdecker
hopes participants had fun.
“The biggest thing was
for everyone to have fun
rather they are walking
or running, competing for
the fastest time or doing it
for personal benefit,” Busdecker
said. “Everyone
can have fun and enjoy
their time.
The School of Saint Mary, which is celebrating its
centennial year, won the commanders trophy for its
creative float.
Kathleen Aberle completes the last leg of the Lake
Forest Day 5K Fun Run/Walk with a smile on her face.
Michael Donahue pushes through the final mile of the
race.