This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Burnsville Seeks Volunteers to Help with Parade Memorializing Sept. 11

From beginning to end, this year's Burnsville Fire Muster parade is all about remembering those firefighters and rescue workers responding to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

As the name implies, a Fire Muster is always about firefighters. Historically it’s when they gather to show the community their skills and their readiness. Burnsville’s annual five-day Fire Muster community event will culminate this year on Sept. 11 with the parade followed by a special memorial service to honor those that responded to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. 

 “The parade will lead off with the Memorial Pipe Band, followed by six groups of Boy Scouts and others memorializing different aspects of the 9/11 event,” said Ron Green, parade organizer. “After the parade, a special memorial service will be held at the grandstand near the city offices on Civic Center Parkway.”

This year’s 100 or so unit parade “has a little of everything,” Green said, including past favorites: the Burnsville Blaze Marching Band, Cracker Jack Drum Line — “a group of pretty high-stepping members” — and a high school stringed instrumentalist group called Butter Squash.

Find out what's happening in Burnsvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The hour-long parade begins at 1 p.m. and starts at Parkwood Drive and 130th Street. The route takes participants about a mile to the grandstand. For those who can’t attend, it will be shown Sunday evening on Burnsville Community Television.

This is Green’s fourth year heading up the parade. Thanks to his computer, the retired publishing research manager developed an efficient method to keep the parade planning task pretty much a matter of uploading forms, downloading information and plugging it into an Excel sheet.

Find out what's happening in Burnsvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

But it’s the day of the parade when hands-on help is needed. This year, the Burnsville Lion’s Club will be helping pre-stage the event. Green said that it takes a cool temperament to make it through parade day and deal with issues that come up.

“I’m easy-going and don’t get too excited,” Green said, but it can be overwhelming for some.

The first Burnsville Fire Muster parade was held in 1980. Green, who joined the Fire Muster Board of Directors this year, would like people to know that the community celebration is operated by volunteers and there is no city funding.

“There is no permanent staff, and we have to raise everything from scratch every year. We have to pay for the police escorts, the State Patrol, street maintenance,” he said.

The parade has a surprisingly small budget, he said. The only real cost is to entertainers requesting payment, and this year that is three groups. “Other than that, we don’t have much expense,” Green said.

And what does he enjoy most about the parade? It’s getting on the fire truck at the end of the parade and watching the crowd, and the smiles of little kids.

"They really enjoy their parade,” Green said.

To help out, you can contact Green or go to the Fire Muster website.

 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?