An estimated 10,000 people turned out Saturday to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday with a large parade in Portage.
“You’re talking about one of the most patriotic cities in Northwest Indiana,” Mayor Austin Bonta. People came from as far as Whiting, he said, to celebrate with Portage.
“America is on a roll, and our goal is to make sure the next generation honors the goals our country was founded on,” he said. That includes remembering rights that were granted not by the government but by God.
Bonta’s great-grandparents on both sides were immigrants from Poland and Italy. “You can be an American just by coming here,” he said, which is one of the things that makes America great.
Angelica Harnisch, of Portage, was at the parade, too. “I’m proud. My dad came in as an immigrant and did everything he was supposed to do,” becoming a U.S. citizen 18 years later. “I’m here because of my daddy,” who emigrated from Michoacán, Mexico.
Her husband, Karl Harnisch, was glad to celebrate the freedoms Americans enjoy, especially for the semiquincentennial. “It’s amazing,” he said. “It’s unlike any other Fourth of July. It’s one of the biggest ones ever.”
Janice Newcomb, of Portage, was around for the bicentennial in 1776. Portage has changed a lot in the half-century since. “It’s much more exciting to live here than it was,” she said.
She and her husband, Don Newcomb, sat in the shade of a canopy their son and granddaughter set up. “It’s probably the nicest Fourth of July in a long time,” Janice said.
Don reflected on the nation’s history, “how long it’s been since the beginning. It’s a long time for democracy.”
The Newcombs planned to have a cookout with family before seeing fireworks later to celebrate the auspicious day.
Joni Maxwell, of Portage, rode in the Samuelson Insurance float with her son, the parade’s grand marshal. “I’m very honored to be here,” she said. Maxwell was celebrating not only the nation’s 250th birthday but also the insurance agency’s centennial.
John Keyl, commander of American Legion Post 26 in Portage, served in the Gulf War as a U.S. Marine. “It’s awesome. We’ve been going all out,” he said, to celebrate the nation’s birthday.
Joe Gzromek, of Portage, threw candy toward the kids. “It’s something to give back to your community,” he said, and to see the kids’ excitement. “I know what it was like getting candy thrown at me. It wasn’t my dad trying to hit me.”
Tim Huckabay, of Hobart, walked with a cane as he followed his wife and their dog. The Chihuahua was behind the wheel of a tiny car while Huckabay’s wife operated the remote control.
Mike Pollak, of Portage, walked two Great Danes in the parade. The celebration was “very loud, very noisy, a lot of excitement,” he said. Fortunately, his dogs didn’t seem to mind the noise.
Kate Scholobohm, of Portage, was promoting Hagrid’s Hope, a small cat rescue based in Portage. She rode in a float while helpers dressed as cats and mice handed out treats – human ones, not catnip.
“It’s a fun group of people”, Schlobohm said. Together, the volunteers rehomed 70 cats last year, although they took in more than that.
Reflecting on the nation’s 250th, she said, “It’s quite an accomplishment, a long history.”
Derek Bood, of Portage, dressed as Uncle Sam, called the celebration “phenomenal. We’re actually celebrating with everyone. It’s an exciting time for everybody.”
His family has a long history in Northwest Indiana. “My family dates back to the 1800s. We were the first settlers in Portage,” he said.
David Barcelli, of Portage, was also dressed as Uncle Sam. “Today, I think it’s a wonderful thing, with all the turmoil going through our country, to see all these people coming out for Independence Day.”
Portage Councilman Bob Parnell, a Baptist minister, said he felt blessed to celebrate the nation’s 250th and to serve on the City Council.
“We get to enjoy the blessings of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” three unalienable rights outlined in the Declaration of Independence, he said.
Indiana Vocational Technical College professor Lenny Corso marched in the parade. “It’s amazing that our government segments have lasted so long,” he said. “I know we’re in a fragile state, but reasonable people will make sure we keep it all together.”
“As a Vietnam-era veteran, I have to say this is a fun parade here in Portage,” Corso said.
Porter County Clerk Jessica Bailey was celebrating the holiday. “It’s a chance for the country to come together,” she said. “It’s a chance to be united.”
Valparaiso Councilman Robert Cotton was campaigning for a fellow Democrat. He offered his take on the state of the union.
“I think it’s an interesting gut check,” he said, as polls show a majority of Americans disapprove of President Donald Trump’s actions.
“I think it’s a real test of our ability to get together again,” Cotton said.
Doug Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
