Independence Day Parade Update

Update...

2007 DETROIT GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE

Sunday, March 25, 2007 at 3:00 p.m.
Monroe Street from Woodward to Greektown

Grand Marshall, Phillip Christopher, VP SAE for Cyprus from New York.

Featuring special guests from Boston...
Evzones of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of New England. An exact replica of the Presidential Guard of Greece.

For more information, visit our website:
http://detroit.greekparades.com/

Interested in marching? See your church or organization president.

A whole weekend of events...

FRIDAY, MARCH 23
7:35 p.m. Greek Night at Detroit Ignition professional indoor soccer. Featuring midfielder, Kyt Selaidopoulos, Call 1.888.436.GOAL for more information.

SATURDAY, MARCH 24
7:00 p.m. Nameday vespers at Annunciation Cathedral. Call 313-965-2988 for more information.

10:00 p.m. "Galazio & Levko" party at Club Exodos in Greektown - sponsored by the
U of M, WSU, and MSU Hellenic Students. E-mail nhsa-board@umich.edu for more information.

SUNDAY, MARCH 25
12:00 p.m. Nameday luncheon at Annunciation Cathedral. Call 313-965-2988 for more information.

3:00 p.m. GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE

Parade news for this week March 5, 2007...

1. MEETING REMINDER: We have a meeting every Thursday from now until
the parade. The next meeting is Thursday, March 8, 2007. All meetings
are at 7:30 p.m. at Annunciation Cathedral in Greektown.

2. FLOATS AND VEHICLES: Only one group has told me about their float so far. If you are planning on including floats or vehicles with your group, please notify me as soon as possible. (tchristy@greekparades.com or call me at 248-910-8662.)

3. DUES: If your group has not yet paid dues, please do so as soon as possible. The minimum donation is $100 per group. We ask groups who can afford it to donate more. TO BE RECOGNIZED IN THE PROGRAM BOOK, WE MUST HAVE AT LEAST A SIGNED PLEDGE BY THE END OF THE MEETING ON MARCH 8. Make checks payable to Detroit Greek Independence Day
Committee or just DGIDC. Please send your dues to our treasurer:

Pete Panourgias
901 Durham Ct
Troy MI 48084

4. PRE-PARADE PARTY: The Hellenic Student Associations at U of M and Wayne State are hosting a pre-parade party at Club Exodos in Greektown on Saturday, March 24, the night before the parade. We hope to have more information at the meeting on Thursday.

See events page for Friday, March 23, 2007 Greek Night event with the Detroit Ignition Professional Indoor Soccer Team.

1. ANOTHER ROUTE CHANGE! When we distributed the marching orders at the last meeting, we told you that the post-parade program would be in the Cathedral parking lot this year. Unfortunately, the lot will not be available for setting up the stage. We will be going back to the Monroe-St. Antoine intersection, as usual, except that the stage
will be between New Hellas and the old parking garage, instead of in the middle of Monroe like last year.

At the end of the parade route, marchers should keeping going on Monroe past the reviewing stage, all of the way to the Cathedral. If they can find a spot on the sidewalk past the Cathedral, they can
watch the rest of the parade from there. Otherwise, they can leave the parade through the Cathedral parking lot.

Vehicles and floats should still proceed over I-375 to the parking lot across the freeway, as originally planned.

If you picked up your marching orders at the last meeting, they are now incorrect. If you want an updated version immediately, please let me know. Otherwise, I'll bring an updated copy at the meeting on Thursday. Which brings us to our next topic...

2. MEETING REMINDER: Our next meeting is this Thursday, March 8, 2007, at 7:30 p.m. at Annunciation Cathedral in Greektown. Hope to see you there!

3. BOSTON EVZONES CONFIRMED: If you missed the last meeting, you missed the exciting news that the Boston Evzone squadron has confirmed that they will be attending. They were trained by the Presidential Guard in Greece and strive to be an exact replica of the Presidential Guard. This may be the only year they will attend and it will be a major attraction for the parade. Let people know that they shouldn't miss this special opportunity!

Dear Friends and Committee members,

As you know March 25. 2007 the Hellenic communities of Greater Detroit, Northern Ohio, Toledo and Windsor will be celebrating the feast of Annunciation and the regeneration of the Greek Nation. This is as a very important expression of Hellenism and Orthodoxy and a powerful statement in support of all the values we hold dear; Democracy, liberty and freedom.

We are counting on your support. I am attaching a copy of the parade flyer and ask you to please send it out to all your friends. Together with pride we can make this years parade the best ever.

The parade committee meeting scheduled for Thursday, February 8, 2007 at 7:30 pm at the Cathedral, Downtown Detroit is very important. Representation from every Parish, Hellenic Organizations, Float Unit and Dance Group is required. We will review the marching orders and draw for the placement position of each parading unit. Flyers and post cards will be available for pick up.