When David Chobanoff learned Marietta would not be holding a Memorial Day parade this year, he took action.

"I thought, 'Maybe I can get something together,'" said the president of the Marietta American Legion Riders Post 466. "I wanted to try to do a parade if I could, so I reached out on Facebook and started talking to people, and I was really surprised to see how much support I received."

The Marietta Memorial Day parade hosted by the American Legion Riders Post 466 will take place on Monday, May 31. The parade is set to begin about 10:15 a.m., and parade participants will gather at Donegal Intermediate School, 1177 River Road, Marietta. Chobanoff noted that the route has been modified a bit from previous years. The parade will proceed down Market Street, turn on Perry Street and come back up Front Street before ending at the American Legion, 19 S. Gay St.

"We did something like this last year, as well," Chobanoff stated. "Being American Legion Riders, we feel our military need to be appreciated on a daily basis, but especially on Memorial Day. We want to remember all of the soldiers and military members who have died for our freedom."

Legion members will be riding their motorcycles in the parade, and Chobanoff would love to see more riders come out for the event. "Anyone with a motorcycle is welcome to join us, whether you're a part of the Legion or not," he remarked.

Additional parade participants include the Alpha Pack K9s, which will feature veterans walking with their post-traumatic stress therapy dogs; Toys for Tots; organizers of Marietta fireworks; the Marietta and Maytown fire departments; and Glossbrenner United Methodist Church.

Chobanoff said organizing a parade is not something he would normally do, but he's happy to have the community support.

"There is a lot of stuff to do before we're ready for the parade, but it's so worth it," he stated. "It's really important that we honor our veterans in any way that we can."

For more information on the event, search for "Marietta Memorial Day Parade Hosted by ALR466" on Facebook.