Letter to the Editor - Sharpee: Loyalty Day is proud tradition

I can’t explain how proud I am of the citizens and businesses of Brandon’s Sunday May 3 VFW Post 4726 and Auxiliary-hosted the 60th Annual Loyalty Day parade. This is the only Loyalty Day Parade in South Dakota, and some documents state the largest in the Nation. 

We had 120 entries in the parade, and that does not count the police département, most of the trucks from the Brandon and Split Rock fire departments, Brandon Valley High School marching band, the Brandon Mayor and City Council, and the color guard. The Business of the Year was Buddies & Co. There were several military organizations, and the Shriners had their band, mini-sprint cars, motorcycles and a couple floats. One of the favorite entries was Sunshine Foods handing out fudgesicles to everyone at the parade.

I was in the parade, and from the time we turned onto Holly from the high school, the sidewalks were packed on both sides. It thinned out a little as we started down Main, but by the time we got to Elm Steet, the people were four-deep on both sides. We had several politicians from local to state to national candidates, many local businesses, church groups, and families with floats. 

The biggest crowd gathering was after the parade was over for the raffle for the 42-gun safe and the drawings for the bicycles and scooters. Melanie Morford won the safe. We received 56 donated bikes and scooters. The most we have ever received.

VFW Post 4726 would like to thank the following people and organizations for donating: Brandon Fire Department, Blaine’s Service, the Frame Family, Alliance Communication, Scheels, Rick and Lisa Vanden  Hoek, Brandon Lions Club, Keven Anderson (Jerry’s Auto), A Random Kind Human, Jim Prostrollo, Harlan and Linda, Eddie Revell, Bill Thompson (State Farm) Roger and Karleen Scheepstra, Jeanne Anson, Joe Brown, Jones Family Eye Care Brandon, Kevin Schievelbein Memorial, Tom Sharpee, Ed Polzine Wild Game Feed, Marv’s Sanitation, Beaver Valley Lutheran Church, Cliff Foss, Bill Thomas (State Farm), Brandon Lumber Company, Joe Fokker (Lifetime Retirement Partners) and several anonymous donations. It is always so exciting to see a child coming up to get the bike they wanted.

The VFW also donated 550 pounds of food to the Brandon Food Pantry. Thank you to everyone that donated.

The VFW would like to recognize and thank Barnhart Crane and Rigging for providing a crane and operator to hang the large U.S. Flag above the street in front of the VFW. It is so cool to turn down Main Street and there is the U.S. Flag. The Post would also like to thank Brandon Lumber Company for providing the flatbed truck used for the announcing stand.

Thank you to everyone that participated in the parade and helped to make it a huge success. Both the VFW and Auxiliary look forward to the 2027 Loyalty Day Parade.

                                          Tom Sharpee

VFW 4726 newsletter editor