Crest Hill retirement community honored its 80 veterans with Memorial Day parade

Carillon Lakes retirement community in Crest Hill officially reopened its community Saturday with its annual Memorial Day Parade.

The parade is held in the 1-to-8-mile “ring road” that runs around the interior of the community, Carillon Lakes board member Bill Thomas said.

“We have a rather large veterans community, around 80 retried veterans,” Thomas said. “So we like to honor them on Memorial Day. Unfortunately last year with COVID, we were not able to do it.”

In fact, Carillon Lakes has an active veterans club that met at least monthly until the COVID-19 pandemic, said Thomas, who also is that club’s president.

“And then every so often, we’d have a meet and greet in the clubhouse,” Thomas said. “The veterans bring their wives and have a catered dinner.”

The grand marshall for the parade had been World War II veteran Don Lawler, who had the seat of honor in a convertible during the parade and waved to the audience. Other veterans include those from World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam, and each also rode atop the community’s flatbed landscape truck.

Other parade participants included representatives from the Shriners and local police and fire departments, the Crest Hill mayor, several aldermen and the color guard from Lewis University in Romeoville.

“It’s something to behold – people lining the streets and waving to the veterans. It’s kind of an emotional time,” Thomas said. “I’m not a veteran myself. But to hear the residents shouting out, ‘Thank you for your service’ and see the tears running out of the veterans’ eyes makes it all worthwhile.”

Carillon’s Memorial Day parade is a private event for residents and their families only, and held the Saturday before Memorial Day, not the holiday itself so as not to interfere with family events.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 20

Carillon Lakes retirement community in Crest Hill officially reopened its community on Saturday with its annual Memorial Day Parade. Pictured are members of the ROTC color guard from Lewis University in Romeovile. (Photo provided)