DACULA MEMORIAL DAY PARADE
1) What is Memorial Day?
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday dedicated to honoring and remembering members of the U.S. Armed Forces who died while serving their country. It is observed on the last Monday of May each year. (Encyclopedia Britannica)
Originally called Decoration Day, the tradition began after the American Civil War when people decorated the graves of fallen soldiers with flowers and flags. Over time, it expanded to honor Americans who died in all military conflicts, and in 1971 it officially became a federal holiday known as Memorial Day. (Encyclopedia Britannica)
Common Memorial Day observances include:
- See link for additional information (Encyclopedia Britannica)
A common misconception is that Memorial Day honors all veterans. While veterans are certainly respected on Memorial Day, the holiday specifically recognizes those who died while serving in the military. Veterans Day is the holiday that honors all military veterans. (U.S. Department of War)
2) What is the Dacula Memorial Day Parade?
The Dacula Memorial Day Parade is one of the largest Memorial Day events in the metro Atlanta area. It has been a community tradition since 1994 and was founded by Marvin Atherton – KG4FHB. The parade is held annually in Dacula to honor and remember American service members who made the ultimate sacrifice. (Dacula Memorial Day)
Official Dacula Memorial Day Website
The event’s mission is:
“To promote patriotism and encourage area citizens to participate in a day of solemn remembrance…” (Dacula Memorial Day)
According to organizers:
- The parade attracts more than 10,000 spectators.
- Roughly 90 parade units participate each year.
- It is intended to educate younger generations about the meaning of Memorial Day.
- Volunteers carry signs honoring fallen Georgia service members through the Fallen Heroes of Georgia program. (Dacula Memorial Day)
The parade is not meant to be a celebration or festival; it is designed as a solemn remembrance of those who died protecting the freedoms Americans enjoy today. (Dacula Memorial Day)
3) How and why does the Gwinnett Amateur Radio Society help with the Dacula Memorial Day Parade?
The Gwinnett Amateur Radio Society (GARS) helps community events such as the Dacula Memorial Day Parade by providing volunteer amateur radio operators who assist with event communications.
For a large parade stretching across multiple streets and involving thousands of spectators, reliable communication is critical. Amateur radio operators are often stationed along the parade route and can provide communication between:
- Parade organizers
- Volunteer coordinators
- Public safety personnel
- Traffic control points
- Parade start and finish areas
- Emergency responders if needed
This type of support is often called event communications or public service communications within amateur radio.
The reasons GARS members volunteer include:
- Supporting the local community
- Honoring the military members remembered by the parade
- Providing communications when cell phone networks may become overloaded or unreliable during large events
- Practicing emergency communication skills that could later be used during disasters or emergencies
- Demonstrating the public-service role of amateur radio
Each year, we help set up the Dacula Memorial Day Parade participants. We start at 7:00am and will be through by 1:00pm.
4) How do I sign-up to help?
The latest information regarding the upcoming parade, including to sign-up, will be posted on this website’s Home page.
Note: You do not have to be a licensed ham to volunteer.
Click Here to email the Dacula Memorial Day Parade Committee
Please upload any photos you take to our Groups.io group for everyone to see. It is preferred for each person to create their own photo album for each event and year.
* Simply go to https://groups.io/g/GARS/photos
* Click on the “New Album” button
* Enter an Album name in the format “YEAR Memorial Day Parade by YourCallSign”
* Click the “Create” button
* Click the “+ Add Photos” button
* and upload away!
When you are done, please send an email to the group letting them know you uploaded some pictures.
Thanks!