Saline Planning Parade To Honor Flight Crew

Saline Planning Parade To Honor Flight Crew

SALINE —The crew of the Amelia Earhart Commemorative Flight will be honored on Ann Pellegreno Day with Saline’s first ticker tape parade at 2 p.m. July 15.

Mrs. Pellegreno, a former instructor in the Saline school system, is piloting a 1937-vintage craft around the world to trace and complete Miss Earhart’s attempted 26,000-mile trek. The plane is expected to arrive in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday. The crew will also be honored in Newton, Kans., on Sunday.

Other members of the crew include Lee Koepke of Ypsilanti, the flight mechanic and owner of the plane; William Polhemus, the navigator, and Air Force Col. William Payne of McLean, Va., the copilot.

Lewis Belleau, the parade marshal, said that the route of the parade will be known by Wednesday night. He mentioned that two possible routes are now being considered.

Although the number of participating units is unknown so far, the parade is planned, to include old cars, color guard units, floats, the Pinckney Cherokee Riders, the Saline Community School Band and other organizations.

Saline Mayor George Johnson will present Mrs. Pellegreno with the keys to the city and a bouquet of flowers. A member of the Chamber of Commerce will also present flowers to her.

The Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring the parade. The Jaycees will furnish the ticker tape.

A shelter, built by the Jaycees in Curtiss Park, will be dedicated after the parade. They also built a walking bridge across a stream in the park.

Following the dedication of the shelter, a steak broil sponsored by the Rotary Club, will be held at 4:30 p.m. at the Junior High School.

The Chamber of Commerce has arranged to have a "kiddies' carnival," a concession stand and rides on the municipal parking lot between Henry, West Michigan and South Ann Arbor Sts. The Jaycees will man the carnival amusements.

Paul Sibson, president of the Chamber of Commerce, is the coordinator along with Donald Wood from the Jaycees.