JARED ROGERS PHOTO
St. Charles Catholic Church was awarded first place for the best-decorated float in the Milan Fourth of July parade.

Jared Rogers
Assistant Editor

The Town of Milan came together to celebrate Independence Day with a variety of activities again this year. Milan’s First Baptist Church served homemade ice cream the evening before the big day, on Tuesday, July 3, and the Milan United Methodist Church hosted a breakfast fundraiser Wednesday morning. Then, the annual parade, sponsored by the Milan Lions Club, entertained hundreds along the streets of town.

Nearly 40 entries made up the parade, including the Milan High School Band, Miss Ripley County Hanna Speer along with her court, and many political candi dates running in 2018 elections.

St. Charles Catholic Church was awarded first place for best-decorated float. The 12U Milan Softball team placed second, and the Knights of Columbus third. Nearly all of the floats incorporated red, white, and blue into their theme for the day, and Ripley County veterans were selected as this year’s grand marshals. Many veterans either marched in the parade or rode on floats. The Milan American Legion proudly served as color guard to lead things off.
Caz Burdette, known for his morning show on WRBI Radio, emceed the parade for his sixth year. Caz grew up in Milan and expressed gratefulness for being a part of the town tradition.

After the parade, community members flocked to the Milan Volunteer Fire Department headquarters to enjoy a chicken dinner cooked and served by the firemen and women. The MVFD hosts four chicken dinners per year as a fundraiser. “Our community is so good to us,” one firefighter shared. Thanks to donations and grant money, the department has installed new metal siding on their building as well as a new kitchen area inside in recent years. They have also been able to purchase modern fire suits, which go a long way in keeping firefighters safe when they respond to potentially hazardous situations. The MVFD has been hosting chicken dinners since 1981.

To conclude the evening, residents enjoyed a fireworks show in Daren Baker Memorial Park at dusk. For those looking for a community Independence Day celebration, look no further than the magnificent town of Milan! Mark your calendars for next year to enjoy the annual festivities.