From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Sun Jul 04 2010 - 06:19:54 EDT
Dale City parade boasts 350 vehicles, 130 entries
By Kipp Hanley <mailto:khanley@potomacnews.com>
Published: July 4, 2010
Dale City, Va. - The Fourth of July takes on a special significance for
Tesfaldet Woldemicael.
A native of the Horn of Africa country Eritrea, Woldemicael moved to the
United States as a teenager 25 years ago.
Eritrea fought a 30-year war for its independence from Ethiopia, their
southern neighbor, before finally achieving it in 1993. Before Eritrea was
annexed by Ethiopia in 1962, it was a colony of Italy.
"Freedom is the one thing we never knew," said Woldemicael, who came to the
U.S. with his brother's family as refugees. "...[Independence] is of great
meaning to me."
He eventually moved his family from Alexandria to Kirkdale Drive in Dale
City, just a stone's throw from the neighborhood's annual Fourth of July
Parade.
On Saturday morning he and his wife, along with their three children-ages
10, 8 and 7, were enjoying the parade for the eighth straight year.
"We stand and watch the parade and just have fun with the kids," Woldemicael
said.
This year's parade was likely the largest in years. Everything from
motorcycles to vintage cars to fire engines to creatively designed floats
rolled through the one-mile route as hundreds of spectators lined the
sidewalk and grassy medians to get a look-see.
According to Parade Grand Marshall David Dell, a record 130 entries and
approximately 350 vehicles took part in the event. Normally, there are
around 100 entries, said Dell.
The parade's staging manager for the last 13 years, Dell said he was
"flabbergasted" that he was chosen as the grand marshal this year.
"I turned it [grand marshal position] down, but they wouldn't let me," said
Dell, a long-time Dale City Volunteer Fire Department member and husband of
Dale City Civic Association member and co-parade coordinator Irene Dell.
Riding in a red Chrysler Spitfire convertible, the 68-year-old Dell made a
beeline from the finish line of the parade to the start so that he could
resume his duties as staging manager.
Dell estimated that between his two jobs, he will have put in a 10 hour day,
ending at 2 p.m.
After the parade, many families flocked to the Family Fun Event located at
the commuter lot off Gemini Way.
"It's a very neat event," said parade first-timer Wendy Shane, who lives
with her hus-band and two children off Cardinal Drive. "I think we will do
this every year."
Staff writer Kipp Hanley can be reached at 703-530-3904.
----[This List to be used for Eritrea Related News Only]----