Lake Forest Day Parade shines

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Who doesn’t love a parade -- especially one whose theme honored the 150th anniversary of the founding of Lake Forest?

Kudos to the Lake Forest American Legion McKinlock Post 264 for taking the reins since 1921 in organizing Lake Forest Day, which fell this year on Aug. 3.

Although the rain of the night before eventually cut short the Tuesday night carnival, it was forgotten when on Wednesday morning the aftermath of the rain brought with it sunshine and cooler temperatures.

I rode my bike down to Lake Forest from my home in Lake Bluff. In no time at all I had found the perfect spot to view the Lake Forest Day Parade next to the viewing stand directly across from Market Square on Western Avenue.

Since my arrival was before the parade’s 10 a.m. starting time, I took in the sights and sounds of those already in place along the parade route. It was then that I spied three Lake Forest friends -- Blanche Hall, Betty Klingenberg, and Ann Gottschalk -- to help pass the time in a pleasant way.

By chance I met Karen North, a third-generation Lake Forester, who alerted me to special parade guests who had come all the way from Scotland and who were seated nearby on bleachers. After introducing myself and chatting for a few minutes, I found out that the guests, Jim and Sheila Baxter, had a connection to Lake Forest through a distant relative of Sheila Baxter.

I was to learn that Sheila Baxter was the great-great-granddaughter of Sylvester Lind’s sister, Margaret. Scots-born Sylvester Lind arrived in Chicago in 1837, after which he went to work as a carpenter in the rapidly growing new city of Lake Forest. Sylvester is credited with being one of the founders of Lake Forest. He was four times mayor of Lake Forest.

What intrigued me was how the Baxters ended up in Lake Forest on Lake Forest Day 2011. Sitting next to the Baxters on assembled bleachers was Shirley Paddock, who related how she had traveled to Scotland to locate the Baxters, with friend Jennifer Andrews, to extend the Lake Forest Day invitation to the Baxters. Both Shirley Paddock and Jennifer Andrews were born and raised in Lake Forest.

Volunteer help

Finally it was time for the parade to begin. All I could think of was the thousands of volunteers it must have taken to birth what I was about to see.

My position near the reviewing stand made it possible to keep track of all 103 parade entries aided by the excellent on-going commentary provided by Doug Schuetz and Kim Tunney.

In addition to Grand Marshal Kent Chandler, an auto following close behind transported the four parade marshals, chosen because they represented a branch of the military. They were Frank Waldeck, U.S. Navy; Bernt Westre, U.S. Army; John Terrel, U.S. Navy; and Wesley Dixon, U.S. Air Force. How proud all looked to have been chosen.

There were also cars carrying former City of Lake Forest Mayors Jim Swarthout, 1975-1978; Frank Waldeck, 1978-1981; Howard Kerr, 1999-2002; Jack Preschlack, 2002-2005; and Mike Rummel, 2005-2008 along with Post Commander Tom Marks.

I marveled at the presentation by the Yong-in Yu’s Martial Arts school located in Lake Bluff. It was neat to watch two black belt members break with ease a board.

I would be remiss if I didn’t relate how the theme of the parade was realized through the attire worn by participants and the representative floats of the 1861 era. The parade featured entries where horses shared the route with humans (always close behind were poop scoopers). Roy Westergard represented his Lake Bluff business, Westergard Builders, on the back of a horse.

For the antique truck and car buffs, Sunset Foods had its 1937 huckstor and a replica of its first Dodge delivery truck. John Looby, owner of Lake Forest Flowers, drove by in a 1929 Model A woody antique truck used for deliveries in the 1930s. A l934 Model A Ford, driven by Ray and Kathy Kracik of Lake Forest, showed off their grandchildren at the same time.

I was a happy camper at I rode my bike home to Lake Bluff, thinking of the joy I experienced watching what could only have been the finest Lake Forest Parade ever.