 I'm Barry Silver with Channel 17 and we are in the studio today for a preview of the Essex Memorial Day Parade. Events start on Friday, May 24th, with an Essex Memorial Day ceremony at the first congregational church and I believe that starts at 7 p.m. and then on Saturday, May 25th is really kind of the big event and that is the Memorial Day Parade and it starts at five corners. There's a pre-parade event. Get rid of the Veterans Park. Okay and that's at 9.30 and then step off as they say is at 10 and I'm actually I'm joined in the studio today by one of this year's grand marshals. Larry Ransom is our guest here and he is one of two grand marshals for the event. Oh great and so thank you so much for being here today and for filling us in a little bit about you know the Essex Memorial Day Parade and and what we can expect. Right. So first of all I think yeah I'm sure you can help. We've been talking. You've uh you've been involved with the parade for a long time. You've lived in Essex for 20 years maybe. All right all right. Ever since operation during the storm when I became a veteran then I started marching with the BFW post-6689 in Essex. Okay but this is a new role for you grand marshal. This is your first time. I'm always marching with the color guards. Okay yeah. So can you tell me what a grand marshal does? So tell me a little bit more about that role and and how how you got the role. All I can say I don't really know you know I've never been a grand marshal so all I know is I ride in convertible. Okay and there we're the BFW color guard really leads a parade. We're right in back of the color guard and that's the beginning of the whole parade. Okay. We just you know they they stop at the five corners and they have a celebration like a little speech and a celebration thing. Yeah. For the veterans. Right so you're honored for your service. I mean you're really you did a lot more than just riding a convertible. They do that then they we re-enter the parade and finish the parade. Oh great and and you were nominated for the for this role so and you were nominated based on your your past service. That's a requirement and also your involvement in the community and military. Yeah and that's currently what you do as your volunteer firefighter. I'm still from the fire department. Essex fire department and honorary chief here because I was chief past chief so they made me honorary chief. Oh nice. So well great so you must be looking forward to this weekend. Operation Desert Storm. I was in the 131st CSE Combat Support Equipment Company in Vermont National Guard. We activated in 1990 for Desert Storms. Okay. Well thank you for your service and that's really what Memorial Day is about right. We did construction projects in Iraq and Saudi Arabia the support of the Armour Unit 7th Corps Armour Units. Yep. Very I appreciate your telling us more about you and so I I want to make sure that people are aware of of the parade and and it's one of the largest parades in the state that I guess there are over 135 groups within 12 divisions that participate every year. There's a lot of return groups. Okay. And Virginia is a big parade also and that's on Monday. Yeah that's a big parade. And you'll be involved with that but not as a grand marshal. Right with a color guy. Okay. Can you describe the Essex Memorial Day parade for someone who's never been there what can there's what can they expect is their food you know in addition to. At the end of the parade. The parade ends and starts in the fairgrounds and ends in the fairgrounds. Okay. Then our post 6689 VFW we have a chicken barbecue. All right. That's for open to the public at the right of our post. Okay. That's right there. So that'll be around noon. Yeah. When at all. Yeah right around noon. Okay. So we have that there and the parade is you know they have all kinds of antique tractors. Oh nice. Friend of mine has his tractors in there Wayne Kota and all kinds of fire equipment fire trucks from all around towns around the area. And you say usually you march with the color guard so. Yeah with the color guard. And there's marching bands that. Yeah there's bands there's all kinds of floats and. Okay. Yeah there's a competition I think for the best. Fife and group. So you're not involved with that the grand marshal isn't involved with judging floats. No. Okay. So your role is really kind of an efficient and yeah we just ride in that convertible. Do you wear a uniform? What do you wear to be grand marshal? What sets you apart? Normally I wear my color guard uniform. Okay. I'm gonna probably wear my military desert storm uniform. Nice. Or I could wear fire uniform fire department uniform. Yeah. Dress we call it a class A dress uniform. Okay. I'll wear my military desert storm. Sounds good. Yeah. Hopefully the side will shine for you. Can't wear three different uniforms so I'll wear one. Well you could change if you want you know at the chicken barbecue or something else. Yeah right. So yeah or bring it back up in case. Just in case bring them all. There you go that's what I would do. Hang them all on the truck. And how does the so you you've you've been involved with the Essex parade and you've also been involved with the virgins parade can you talk about the difference between the two parades like basically the same. Okay. You know they have some probably some of the same people go to that parade that's going to Essex parade floats and stuff. There's a lot of work putting those together. Yeah. Well they have to apply to get in that you know each parade. Yeah. And there is you'll get different fire departments down there like virgins and Ferrisburg. Yeah. You know Salisbury and those Middlebury. Saw the Addison County that Addison Fire Department. Yeah. And if people want more information about the Essex Memorial Day parade there is a website and we've shared that on the screen but it's EssexMemorialDayParade.com. There's also a Facebook page so people can learn more about the Essex parade on either Facebook or the web. Same thing I'm not sure. Yeah probably everything I think is pretty much online these days. Yeah. Do you want to talk any more about your military career and or even just about Memorial Day in general and why it's important that we're having these parades. Yeah. Honor I got picked for that position you know. I didn't surprise I didn't know. Yeah. Yeah. Easy. But yeah. I think I read that there are each year one to three grand marshals are selected for the Essex Memorial Day parade and you and Ed Vonsidus were nominated by members of the community as individuals that deserve to be recognized and that in order to be a nominee you have to serve in the country's armed forces. You've got to live in Essex and have a strong connection to the Essex community. So it sounds like you know you fit that to the T. I've had every position in the fire department. Wow. And I was chief for three years now I'm honorary chief. Great. Well I really and there was a quote that you said I was going to ask you know again what does it mean to you to be selected as a grand marshal and it sounds like it's an honor. Yeah. It's just honor provoked you know pretty cool. Yeah. Well great. It was an honor and a privilege to talk with you today and to meet with you and to fill our viewers in a little bit on on what they can expect this weekend with the the Memorial Day ceremony at the first congregational church on Friday and then again Saturday for the big Memorial Day parade in Essex Junction. And so thank you so much for watching. Larry thank you so much for being here and we'll look forward to seeing you at the parade. I'm going to ask you off camera for secret parking spots or other insider tips. I can hook you up somewhere. All right. Well thanks again. We'll see you all next time. Have a good Memorial Day weekend. Remember we will be closed at Channel 17 on Friday and Monday. Take care.