by Heidi L. Everett
editor@thenewsleaders.com
The St. Joseph Lions Club voted at their May 18 meeting to hold the Fourth of July parade this summer.
The parade has been put on by the St. Joseph Lions Club since 1964. Ken and Mary Stommes have been parade co-chairs for the last 10 years. The parade was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 safety restrictions.
“We’re going on the premise that the governor said everything will be wide open by then,” Ken said.
Initially, the club also was concerned about getting enough people to work the parade.
“We feel we are in pretty good shape,” Ken said.
St. Joseph resident Andy Loso was selected as the grand marshal. The nomination letter talked of Loso’s long-standing roots in the community.
“Andy represents St. Joseph heritage going back to the mid-1800s,” wrote Fran Court, who nominated him. “He takes great pride in his family and his work.”
The nomination letter also told of Loso’s work and many volunteer activities at the Church of St. Joseph, including working in maintenance, serving as project manager for the church renovation, and volunteering on the parish cemetery board and finance council
“Andy would truly represent the St. Joseph community as this year’s grand marshal,” Court wrote.
Online registration for parade participants opened last week on the St. Joseph Lions website: https://e-clubhouse.org/sites/stjosephmn/index.php
“We’re fired up now,” Mary said. “We’re going to have some fun.”
A double-decker crowd watches the parade on Minnesota Street, July 4, 2019.
