Memorial Day 2016 – Slideshow

When it comes to being involved with America’s military, the folks at Living With a Cause are right on the front lines, and that’s precisely where they were on Saturday for the Living With a Cause Wheelersburg Memorial Day Parade. People lined the parade route with lawn chairs and blankets and took photographs of all the displays including all of the Portsmouth River Days contestants. The Wheelersburg High School Marching Band provided the music and the patriotism was courtesy of Living With a Cause. “We got involved because we’re about our community,” Living With a Cause founder and president Mike Gifford said. “It’s not Wheelersburg. It’s not Portsmouth. It’s not Lucasville. But we’re about our community totally, involving everybody here.” Gifford is a vice president of the multinational corporation the API Group “Our company just won the National Chamber of Commerce Wounded Warrior 5th Annual Hiring Our Heroes Award,” Gifford said. “Mr. Lee Anderson, (president of) the API Group, is the man I term the greatest American that I ever met that supports America 150 percent.” Erika Hall and Clint Hatfield led the parade off carrying the Living With a Cause banner. “There was a good turnout of people that came and watched it,” Hall said. “Everyone seemed very happy that it was happening. It was fun to be a part of and to see little kids waiting for that candy. They had their bags ready to go. That was the cutest thing.” Along the parade route when the band passed, people got into the action. “We saw some people dancing and playing the air drums,” Hall said. “I had a great time just people watching walking down the road.” Several military units including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, were in the parade, as well as local favorite, former Cincinnati Reds scout Gene Bennett in the Little Red Machine. Gifford described his organizations old you p this way: “We’re about a cause. It’s people power. And we need to take back our community. We need to take back our nation.”

Memorial Day is a special day to remember those who have sacrificed to serve the United States of America and who have helped make this country “our home” and a safer place to live. We at the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office are proud to have participated for the twentieth consecutive year in paying tribute to the men and women who have served in the armed services of this Great Country! We would like to thank all of those who have served in making this Country Great! Some have asked me why the “Re-Elect Donini Sheriff Committee” did not have a political unit in this or past Memorial Day parades. “Personally”, I feel that Memorial Day is for remembering those who have served our “Great Country” and that it should not be exploited for political or personal reasons and thus the reason I have “never” had a political unit in any Memorial Day parade! We, the “Administrative Staff” at the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Joe Lester, Rick Wesney, and the Porter/Wheelersburg Memorial Day Service Committee for requesting the assistance of the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office to participate in the 2016 Memorial Day service by presenting the wreaths representing each branch of the United States military service. Pictured left to right is: Captain Robert Woodford, “Living With a Cause” founder and president Mike Gifford, Sheriff Marty V. Donini, Chief Deputy Todd Miller, Captain Shawn Sparks, Captain James Carter, Porter Township Deputy Jonathan Walker and Porter Township Deputy Paul Gibson.