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It is with a heavy heart that I read in The Times the letters deriding the Memorial Day parade and some of the sponsors of the parade advertising their businesses.
I am certain that these fine citizens do not realize the amount of work, time and money it takes to put this program on. I am certain they do not realize the other projects these sponsors help us with, such as passing out more than 22,000 toiletry kits and 5,000 blankets this year to the homeless shelters, creating our Seascout troop and the Fourth of July fireworks at Laurel Park, to name a few.
Many of these programs would not exist if not for these groups, and as such, we consider them partners in putting on this parade for the residents of this great city and county. We have received so many wonderful remarks on this year's parade and for that I thank each of you. I would invite these letter writers to get in touch with myself or one of our vice-commanders and we will put them and their suggestions to work.
It is one thing to set on the sidelines and complain and quite another to get in the trenches and work.
Larry J. Emmett
Commander, Paul E. Bolding American Legion Post 7, Gainesville