Recent Incidents American Spirit Parade 2008 April 27th, 2008, 5:55 PM

That's the spirit! WINNERS

All-American parade touted veterans, Mummers and Gold Star Mothers.

Take Cowboy Larry from New Jersey with his droopy handlebar mustache and his bullwhip tricks. Add a handful of Uncle Sams -- on stilts, on bikes and in cars. Season with 83-year-old World War II veteran Jack Blickenderfer, of Centerville, in a 1942-vintage Jeep. Stir in the Marine Corps 2nd Division Band from Camp Lejeune, N.C. And, voila! You've cooked up an American Spirit Parade.

This fourth annual spring tribute to all things patriotic stepped off from Orange and Lime streets Saturday with 84 units in five divisions rolling past a crowd estimated by Lancaster police at 3,000 spectators. The parade traveled two miles to a reviewing stand at Buchanan Park.

Parade-goers saw a wide cross-section of Americana. There was a size 37½ pink shoe skate from the Dutchland Rollers derby team. "This is a positive day for our community," said skater Regina "Perkalicious" Perkins, 28.

A couple of floats ahead was a red Humvee toting a casket bedecked with the slogan "Freedom costs."

Inside the Hummer were three moms with a message.

"We need to be here because nobody knows the cost of freedom better than we do," said Bonita Lewis, of Mechanicsburg. One of three Gold Star Moms in the parade, she came out to represent her son, Capt. Bryan Willard, a helicopter pilot killed in Iraq in 2006.

"Gold Star Mothers Inc. has been around since 1928," said Cherriney Kondor, of York. Her son, Spec. Martin Kondor, was killed in Iraq in 2004.

"But it's not a club anybody wants to belong to," added Barbara Bernard, of Columbia. Her son, Sgt. First Class Brent A. Adams, was a member of the National Guard for 17 years and was killed in Iraq in 2005.

"The American spirit lives in all of us each and every day," Lewis said. "We know. We've given the ultimate sacrifice."

"We're not ever disappearing," Kondor said. "We're here to remind people of the cost, while remembering not to let the big bullies take over our country."

"It's a great thing to honor these people who've given so much to make sure we have what we have," said Andy King, 27, a parade spectator. King, a 1999 graduate of Lampeter-Strasburg High School, was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps this month after four years and three Iraq tours. "I wanted to go fly-fishing today, but I came to the parade instead," he said.

Part slice of apple pie and part patriot-palooza, the Spirit Parade included Mummers and Marines, veterans of all stripes and Vietnam refugees celebrating their citizenship.

"It's 33 years since America opened its arms and accepted us," said Chieu Van Le, 57, of Manheim Township. Riding with the "Viet-Americans," representatives of an estimated 2,700 South Vietnamese refugees living in Lancaster County, Le is an Armstrong employee and just retired as a helicopter pilot, having served with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap. He came to Lancaster in 1976.

Even some of the lawn chairs along the parade route were decked out in red, white and blue, as flag-waving (you could buy a little Star Spangled Banner for $2 from a street vendor) ruled the day.

From Zembo Shriners on horseback to kilted bagpipers playing "Amazing Grace," the parade offered it all: beauty queens in convertibles, county commissioners on a flatbed truck and Mayor Rick Gray on his Harley-Davidson dodging horse plops from the Red Rose Mounted Patrol.

Spirit really did rule.

"This," said spectator Jack Sweeney, 11, of Lancaster City, "is ridiculously awesome."

The American Spirit Trophy - outstanding presentation/unit: Crispus Attucks Community Center.

The Judges' Trophy - outstanding performing unit: Temple Guard of York.

Bands: First place, York Central Middle School Colonial Fife & Drum Corps; Second, Ceól Néamh Pipe Band.

Floats: First place, Navy Club of Lancaster County - Ship No. 166.

Best Performing Group: Zembo Shrine minicar Unit.

Best Novelty Unit: Getz Steam Calliope.

Best Fire Equipment/Company Presentation: Pequea Volunteer Fire Company.

Special presentations to the: 2nd Marine Division Band from Camp Lejeune, N.C.; 733rd Transportation Company, United States Army Reserve.