Happy Birthday, America

By SUSAN GIBBS, Record Reporter
Published: July 10, 2008

Folks were nibbling on French toast sticks and strawberries on the Lafayette Inn balcony Friday morning. Below, children of all ages—decked out in red, white and blue—had started to line both sides of Main Street.
Stanardsville’s Annual Fourth of July Parade was about to begin.
At 10 a.m. the town’s mayor, Gary Lowe, read the Declaration of Independence, and 14-year-old William Monroe High School student Kiersten Legere sang the National Anthem.
Greene County Sheriff Scott Haas, accompanied by Pearl Harbor survivor Bill Trimmer, led the procession.
Then came members of Greene County’s American Legion Post 128.
An estimated 30 celebrants followed in what turned out to be a small parade with a hometown feel.
Women and children adorned the Dyke Volunteer Fire Department truck; Peggy Moyers as Miss Liberty once again held her torch high; and a representative of the Greene County Chamber of Commerce cruised by in a convertible.
Three seven-year-old pageant winners—Little Mr. Greene Luke Berry, Little Miss Greene Lacy Beale and Little Miss Greene Runner-Up Madison Harris - brought a little bit of glamour to the parade.
And, the Eppard family was well represented: Terry Eppard drove her 1968 Camero; Courtney Eppard drove a 1978 1066 International tractor; and P.J. Eppard - with whom Tommy Eppard tagged along for a ride—drove a 1968 Minneapolis Moline G1000 Vista tractor.
The Baugher brothers were on parade as the Farmall Gang, riding their antique Farmall tractors. Chet Albertson rode his 1948 John Deere tractor, and James Lloyd of Lloyd’s Tree and Landscaping entertained onlookers by doing “wheelies” with his lawn tractor.
As always, Elbert Shifflett paraded his antique autos, and he was joined this year by the Ruckersville Country Cruisers - a club that puts on car shows and cruise-ins to help raise money for charity.
The Ruckersville and Stanardsville Volunteer Fire Departments threw out their share of candy to children lining both sides of the street, as did the Greene County Rescue Squad.
Brownie Troop 884 waved to the crowd from the back of a pick-up, the Greene Futbol Club waved as they marched. J.W. Meadows rode his mule Sallie while Judi Pagter paraded on horseback, and David Vandeveer rode a unicycle and juggled. 
Capital Sheds, Greene County Habitat for Humanity, Lifeline Community and Youth Center and Stitches to Fit had floats, and the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, bringing up the rear, paid tribute to long-time member, and recently-deceased Mayor Jerry Bortner.
And the winners were: first place, Capitol Sheds; second place, Little Miss Greene Runner-Up; third place, Habitat for Humanity; and, honorable mention, the Greene Futbol Club.
Following the parade, Carl and Priscilla Schmitt of Stanardsville and Kiersten Legere entertained with a few songs. The festivities, which began at 10 a.m., were essentially over about an hour later.
The annual parade is sponsored by Stanardsville Area Revitalization (*STAR*).