THE SEARCH IS OVER. The Curwood Festival Heritage Parade Grand Marshal Committee is pleased to announce that Michael Ash of Owosso has been chosen as the 2019 Grand Marshal. The Heritage Parade which will take place on Saturday, June 8.
The committee received letters or emails from the public nominating nine individuals for this honor. Charlie and Linda Keenan of Owosso nominated this years’ winner. They wrote that “Mike has worked with many of the nonprofit organizations in Curwood country. He has served as president of the Shiawassee County Child Advocacy Center, Shiawassee County Central Dispatch, Owosso Community Players and the Memorial Healthcare Foundation. He also has been on the Memorial Healthcare Board of Directors. We have personally worked with Mike on several of these boards and know that he approaches these leadership responsibilities with zeal and compassion. He has donated thousands of hours, as well as thousands of dollars to these and other organizations. He has an innate understanding of nonprofit organizations’ impact on this community’s quality of life.
“After retiring from a full term of service with the Shiawassee County Sheriff’s Office, Mr. Ash accepted a position with Owosso Public Safety as an Owosso Public Schools liaison officer. The children love and respect him. When attending an event with Mike or just sitting with him in a coffee shop, more than likely when school kids see Mike, they greet him loudly with ‘Officer Ash! Officer Ash!’ The greetings and smiles then abound. It is a tangible acknowledgement of the important role Mike plays in our community. These children will have a positive attitude toward law enforcement as they grow up.”
With the theme of “The Year of the Duck,” the parade is expected to draw over 30,000 spectators and parade participants. This year’s parade will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 8. Parade participants will step off from the corner of Dewey and Main streets and travel west through downtown, finishing at Chipman Street in West Town. Directly following the parade, non-monetary awards will be presented in the Entertainment Tent.
Parade entries will be accepted until Friday, May 17. Entry forms can be downloaded on the Curwood Festival website, www.curwoodfestival.com, under the “Applications” page. Anyone who would like to volunteer for this or any other Curwood event is encouraged to visit www.curwoodfestival.com/get-involved.html to download a volunteer application, or contact the festival office at (989) 723-2161.
(Courtesy Photo)
