Welcome home Elkhorn's soldiers when they arrive in Janesville Sunday
If you'd like to welcome home the Elkhorn soldiers who recently returned from Iraq, join the parade planned for Sunday in Janesville.
Elkhorn and Janesville-based Company A, 132nd Brigade Support Battalion arrived at Volk Field in Wisconsin Monday morning, following an eight month tour of duty in Iraq. VIDEO
They've spend the past week demobilizing and are expected to arrive in Janesville about 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
Parade organizer Lucy Anderson said that all the soldiers will meet their families at the Janesville Armory upon their return.
There are no plans for the bus to continue on to Elkhorn, so if you'd like to show your thanks and support, Janesville is the place to be.
The soldiers are expected to leave Camp Douglas about 2 p.m. Sunday, and arrive in Janesville about 4:30 p.m.
The Rock County Sheriff’s Department will escort the bus along Interstate 90 from the county line to Janesville.
The Janesville Police Department will take over the escort when the bus turns on to Milton Avenue.
The parade will proceed down Milton Avenue to Milwaukee Street, to Main Street and then turn south on Main before arriving at the National Guard Armory, 11 S. Palmer Drive. (MAP)
(In an e-mail, Anderson says thanks Bonnie of Leisure Services for expediting the parade permit and to Dan Davis of the Janesville Police Department for approving and organizing the vehicles.)
Everyone is encouraged to line the parade route, but the welcome home at the Janesville Armory is for family members only.
Residents who want to hold welcome-home signs made by local school children should meet in the Big Lots parking lot, 1714 Milton Ave., about 3:30 p.m., Anderson said.
Those who want to watch should stand along the parade route and be in place by about 4:15 p.m., Anderson said.
People are encouraged to spread out so the entire parade route is lined with well wishers, she said.
Anderson also is enlisting 40-60 volunteers to hold flags along Main Street, all the way to Beloit Ave.
Read our full coverage here, in The Gazette, or in Walworth County Sunday and the Janesville Messenger.
Jan 22, 2010 at 10:45 a.m.
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The committee that Lucy is in charge of is strickly organizing the parade route, and has nothing to do with how the troops will get to the parade or where they go afterward. Yes, it would be nice for the bus to continue on, but I imagine the families of the soldiers out of Elkhorn will be glad to get to them as soon as they can, and a trip to Janesville will be fine with them! My husband is a veteran and from experience, I would have happily traveled anywhere to meet him after a deployment!
Jan 22, 2010 at 8:54 a.m.
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Miltonalum,
In Lucy's defense, she's just organizing the parade. The Guard is in charge of transportation.
I agree, however, that it would have been nice to have the bus go to Elkhorn.
I talked to quite a few people this week who were wondering if they could do something similar to the Janesville welcome home around the square in Elkhorn.
I believe plans are in the works for more events in the future, however.
Just glad they're all back safe and sound.
-Plutchak
Jan 22, 2010 at 8:46 a.m.
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Unbelievable, These men and women can risk their lives every single day for the rest of us but they cant charter a bus to get them from Janesville to Elkhorn. Not that im sure most of their families will not mind driving to janesville to meet them but its the principal. Lucy Anderson you are charge of this event planning. what a disgrace, the least we can do is get them home to where they live and let the rest of the family members who cant make it to janesville share in the joy.
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