The Carbon County Veterans Council announced the annual event will be held on Sunday with a rain date of Sunday, Nov. 12.

This year’s parade is hosted by the Nesquehoning United Veterans Organization 8008 and will be held in Nesquehoning starting at 2:30 p.m. Commander Craig Strohl would like to invite the community to attend and stand together to show our veterans, whom have served with courage and dedication, the gratitude they deserve.

The Grand Marshal this year is Theodore “Ted” M. Dacey Sr.

The parade

The parade will be broadcast live on WLSH am1410 and will be telecast live on Blue Ridge Communications TV-13 with the reviewing stand located in front of Joseph Blazosky Funeral Home at 81 East Catawissa St. Awards will be presented to the best appearing Color Guard, best appearing band, and best appearing float. Judges will be Palmerton Mayor Don Hermann, Palmerton Council Member Richard Nothstein and his wife Darlene, Jim Thorpe Mayor Michael Sofranko, and Jim Thorpe Borough Council President Greg Strubinger and his wife Rose Marie.

Free American celebration flags will be distributed throughout the parade while supplies last.

Parade participants are required to register, prior to arriving at their designated division, in front of Kattner Coal & Oil, 333 W. Railroad St. After registration, participants should immediately go to their designated division and report to the division coordinator for proper staging. Lineups start forming at noon and all participants are asked to be in place by 1:45 p.m.

The parade will start promptly at 2:30 p.m. at the intersection of Route 54 and 209, proceed on Catawissa Street, turn south on to Hazard Street and then East on to Center Street.

It will disband on the 400 block of East Center Street. School bus drivers are advised to send at least one bus to registration to register and pick up the boxed lunches for participating students. After dropping off students to their designated division, school bus drivers are asked to park on both sides of the 400 block of East Center Street for pickup of students.

Traffic will be detoured on both directions of Route 209 through the borough as well as Routes 54 starting at 2 p.m. Parking restrictions on the parade route and posted side streets will be in effect from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

About the grand marshal

Dacey was born in Coaldale and raised in Nesquehoning. He is the son of the late Wash and Sophie (Bobersky) Dacey.

He graduated in 1967 from Panther Valley High School and enlisted in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam Era. He was stationed in Amarillo, Texas, for basic training.

From there, his adventures began in Europe (Turkey) for one and a half years followed by one and half years in Asia (Taiwan). All through his military career, he served as a security policeman attaining the rank of Sergeant.

While in Taiwan, one of his joyous events was meeting and marrying his wife Mai-Ling (Lou) Dacey. Ted was honorably discharged in 1971. They returned to the United States where they settled in the New Columbus section of Nesquehoning.

Dacey began his 30-year career in 1971 with the Nesquehoning Police Force as a full-time officer. He was well known and quickly became a familiar face. His respect and dedication for both the citizens and the law were evident to all in every path he crossed. He retired in 2001.

After retirement, Dacey had more time to devote to volunteering for various military and civic organizations and his church. He is a lifelong member of St. Mary’s Byzantine Catholic Church in Nesquehoning.

Ted is a member of American Legion Post 172 for 50 years; life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial Post 8008, where he has held the office of trustee and presently holds the office of chaplain for approximately 15 years. As chaplain he is present at Veteran Military funerals ensuring all veterans receive their final respect.

Ted has also graciously taken on the responsibility of sending signed greeting cards to troops from the Panther Valley area twice a month, and sending care packages to local servicemen and women while they were stationed in the Iraq or Afghanistan conflicts. Each year, before Memorial Day, Ted can be seen with his three granddaughters replacing the American flags in all seven cemeteries (approximately 900 flags) in town. Currently, he coordinates blood drives for the Miller-Keystone Blood Center, which occur six times a year.

He is a member of the Nesquehoning Hometown Heroes Banner Committee since its inception in 2017. This program has evolved into ensuring a proper American Flag accompanies each banner in which Ted plays a vital role. He is also a member of the Carbon/Schuylkill Fraternal Order of Police.

As all these things mentioned are very important to Ted, the most near and dear to his heart is his family, wife Mai-Ling, their sons Ted Jr. and Eugene, both of Nesquehoning. Their granddaughters Christina, Olivia, and Emma who proudly call Ted “Didi.”

Ted was predeceased by his brother Stephen, an 11-year Navy veteran, and sister Patricia Dacey Lazar.

The lineup

The four-division parade will include

Division 1: Nesquehoning Police Department Chief Michael Weaver, Nesquehoning VFW Memorial Post 8008 Honor Guard, Grand Marshal Theodore M. Dacey, Sr. with Leiby’s Carriage Service, VFW Memorial Post 8008 Poppy Court, Weatherly Area High School Band, Director of Veterans Affairs Christine LeClair, Lansford American Legion Post 123 Color Guard, Lansford American Legion Post 123 Members, Navy Club Of Carbon County Ship 260 NCUSA, Panther Valley JROTC, Panther Valley Marching Band, Vietnam Veterans of Carbon County, Nesquehoning Water Authority, Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA Service Unit 309, Panther Valley Cub Scouts Pack 765 & Tamaqua Boy Scouts 777, Meeds Memorial Methodist Church, Anthracite Little League, Charly Company 109 Infantry SFC Phil Hansle, Coaldale America Legion Post 170, Lansford American Fire Company No 1, Coaldale Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Summit Hill Diligence Fire Company No. 1. This division should assemble at the Kovatch Inc. / St. Luke’s Parking Lot across from 426 W. Railroad St.

Division 2: Schuylkill-Carbon Marine Corps League Color Guard, Palmerton School District Marching Band, Palmerton UVO Banner Carriers, Palmerton Color Guard (VFW Post 7134 & American Legion Post 269), American Legion Post 269, Commander Ed Moyer & Adjutant Victor Jahelka III, American Legion Post 269 Sgt. Ed Baranski & 1st Vice Commander Joe Uhnak, American Legion Post 269 Legion Members, American Legion Post 269 Miss Poppy & Legion Mascot, American Legion Post 269, Joseph Plechavy III 1942 World War II Jeep, Palmerton VFW Post 7134 Charlie Dunbar, Palmerton UVO Members VFW Post 7134, American Legion 269 & Sons of the Legion Squadron 269, Palmerton Girl Scouts of Eastern PA, Boy Scout Troop 209, Rajah Shrine Anglers, Slatington American Legion Post 16 Mike Marino - M36A Military Cargo Truck, American Legion Post 269 Greg Serfass - 5 Ton Military Transport Truck, Palmerton Volunteer Fire Company, Aquashicola Volunteer Fire Company, Bowmanstown Volunteer Fire Company. Form at One Industrial Complex Parking Lot.

Division 3: Jim Thorpe American Legion Post 304 Color Guard, Jim Thorpe Area High School Marching Band, Sons of the American Legion Squadron 304, State Rep. Doyle Heffley, Carbon County Commissioner, Chris Lukasevich, Carbon County Prothonotary, Kayla Semmel, Carbon County Recorder of Deeds, Donna Gentile, Carbon County Republican Committee, Jim Thorpe Lions Club, Carbon Country Fair Queen Court, Jim Thorpe Cruiser Car Club, Valor Clinic Foundation, Jim Thorpe Municipal Fire Company. Meet at Route 54 South Side Bulldog Fire Apparatus Parking Lot.

Division 4: Lehighton UVO Color Guard - American Legion Post 314 & AMVETS Post 106, American Legion Post 314 Auxiliary LaRue Fritz & Hank Williams, American Legion Post 314 Auxiliary Officers Frances Keener, Lehighton Are High School Indian Pride Band, American Legion Post 314 Legion Riders, Yenser’s Tree Farm, John Meduri – Rumblebee, St. Luke’s Miners & Carbon Campuses, Lehighton Ambulance Association, Lehighton Fire Department, Mahoning Valley Ambulance Association, Mahoning Valley Volunteer Fire Company No. 1, Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Company, Forks of the Delaware Tin Lizzies, Nesquehoning Police Department. Form at Route 54 South Side Bulldog Fire Apparatus Parking Lot.