PORT ANGELES — Betsy Reed Schultz, founder of the Captain Joseph House Foundation, will lead the Port Angeles Fourth of July parade as its grand marshal.
Schultz’s selection “was a unanimous choice of the staff here at Kitsap Bank,” said Harbir Bower, vice president and commercial loan officer at the Port Angeles branch of the bank, whose staff has organized the parade for 11 years.
“We chose Betsy Reed Schultz because it’s a great charitable organization in support of our military and military families,” Bower said.
Schultz envisions the house — being created at the site of her former bed-and-breakfast at 1108 S. Oak St. — as a place of healing and relaxation for families of fallen military men and women.
It is named for Schultz’s son, Army Capt. Joseph Schultz, who was killed in action in Afghanistan on May 29, 2011.
Grand marshal chosen
Betsy Reed Schultz was chosen to be grand marshal after the Kitsap staff of eight decided on this year’s parade theme, “Port Angeles: Celebrating our Local Heroes.”
The parade, which will include fire trucks and veterans groups, will begin at 6 p.m. on the Fourth of July, a Thursday, at the corner of Fourth and Lincoln streets with a fly-over of helicopters from the Coast Guard Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles.
The parade then will travel to First Street and move west to Valley Street.
Announcers will describe the entries at three locations: Veterans Park on Lincoln Street, the Conrad Dyar Memorial Fountain at Front and Laurel streets, and Country Aire Natural Foods at 200 W. First St.
Parade applications are available at Kitsap Bank, 716 E. Front St., and the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce website, www.portangeles.org.
There is no cost to participate because of the sponsorship of Kitsap Bank.
So far, about 30 entries have registered, Bower said.
“In the past, we’ve had from 70 to 90 entries,” she added.
Music, fireworks
After the parade, music will fill the downtown from City Pier, where bands sponsored by the Red Lion Hotel will begin performing at 7 p.m.
The audience can relax on the grass with a picnic dinner and listen to Luck of the Draw and The Hooky’s.
The bands will play until about 10 p.m., when dusk will be the signal for the Fourth of July fireworks show.
Wave Broadband will again sponsor the show. The display setup is from the base of Francis Street Park. The best viewing locations will be from City Pier and the Waterfront Trail.