POTTER TOWNSHIP — If someone asks you what the Fourth of July is all about, you might respond with tales of the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution and men with names such as Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Hamilton. Memories of huge parades with marching bands playing Sousa marches and flags flying high in the breeze, as well as spectacular displays of fireworks in the night sky might also be shared. But underneath all the hoopla lies a grassroots patriotism that often manifests itself in more subtle ways.
One of those ways is seen in the tiny village of Colyer every July Fourth for the last 20 years, as the community puts on its own parade and hosts a community picnic. The parade started in 1996, when five local men who owned antique tractors decided to drive their tractors, adorned with American flags, around the area to show them off. A tradition was born and, while the first parade reportedly had only a handful of watchers, it has grown steadily over the years and now attracts hundreds of community members and visitors.
John Weaver, one of the five original tractor drivers who has worked every year since to set up the picnic during the parade, has decided to pass the torch. “I’ve never seen any of the parades,” he said. “It’s time to retire.”
This year’s parade traced out a winding circuit of about 3 miles beginning and ending at the farm of Doug and Jane Mothersbaugh on Lake Road, near Colyer Lake. There were plenty of antique tractors, many of them beautifully restored, and some still in their “barn find” condition — rusty, but running. Antique and classic cars were featured, including several Pontiac Firebirds and a couple of Mustangs. Floats on farm wagons were towed by tractors, and two were adorned with banners saying “Colyer Lake — The Fish Awaken,” referring to the nearby recreation facility, which was refilled and opened last month after extensive repairs were made to its earthen dam.
Following the parade, the Mothersbaugh farm became the site for a community picnic, where tables filled with residents and visitors who enjoyed hot dogs, pork barbecue and drinks supplied by the parade committee. During the picnic, parade committee chairman Tom Kistler thanked everyone who helped organize and support the event, as about 150 people enjoyed a good meal and socializing.
So, what’s the Fourth of July all about? If you come to Colyer, you’ll get your answer in the form of smiling, laughing, happy people enjoying and celebrating the freedoms that form the very heart of this nation. Tiny towns like Colyer, as well as the nation’s gleaming alabaster cities, pause on this day to honor the freedom we have which is still unheard of in much of the world, and we are forever grateful to those brave founding fathers who signed that famous declaration on a hot day in July 1776.
