This coming Monday is the Jenison Memorial Day Parade. JMB marches in this every year and historically it tends to be a warm day. For new marching families, it might be helpful to share how that day usually unfolds.
Starting this weekend, have your student start drinking lots of water. This pre parade hydrating makes a huge difference, especially if it is warm. Also, to avoid any “chafing” it might be helpful to use a chafing product (such as Body Glide, Gold Bond Friction Defense) on those unseasoned thighs. Sunscreen is also a must. Please also make sure the kids have something in their stomachs before the parade. Probably not the best day for a breakfast of pop tarts and Mt Dew.
Students are dropped off at the corner of 20th and Baldwin at Cedar Presbyterian Church where the parade line up occurs. A lot of students park at the high school and walk down together but non drivers and the 8th grade marchers will need to be dropped off early. It gets very crazy so don’t try to roll up at the time they are supposed to be there and expect an easy go of it.
The students will line up and proceed to the parade route. They will march/play all the way down Baldwin to Cottonwood. Once they get to Cottonwood, they will head through the Meijer parking lot where the high school band will proceed into Meijer to play for customers, led by our band director, Mr. Zamborsky. Parents are welcome to head in as well and line up in the lanes that aren’t being used to watch. Following this performance, they grab water and then load up on buses to head to the Georgetown Cemetery for the Memorial Day Service. The public is invited to attend this as well. Once they are finished there, they will be brought back to the high school and are free to leave.
It is not uncommon for some band students to pass out from dehydration and or heat. This is why we stress adequate hydration the weekend before and the day of.
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