FOUNTAIN VALLEY : Parade to Welcome Gulf War Troops

Fountain Valley will welcome home troops from the Persian Gulf war with a parade through Mile Square Park on Saturday morning.

The parade, expected to attract about 3,000 spectators, will begin at 11 a.m. at the recreation center at Brookhurst Street and Heil Avenue, circle the park and end near the park’s helicopter landing pad on the Edinger Avenue side. A dedication ceremony will follow, highlighted by an “All-American sing-along,” said Margie Hopkins, a member of the Yellow Ribbon Committee, the parade’s organizers.

“I think that the people (of Fountain Valley) have been exceptional in donating their time, money and the very things they make a living on,” said Hopkins, who has a son leaving for the Gulf at the end of the month.

More than 45 organizations and clubs will march in the parade, from local Girl Scout troops to the Long Beach-based U.S. Navy Color Guard. Celebrity participants will include Julie Sinclair of the soap opera “Santa Barbara” and former Oakland Athletics pitcher John (Blue Moon) Odom.

A 30-foot flag will be raised at the beginning of the dedication ceremony, which will be led by KCBS sportscaster Ed Arnold, a longtime Fountain Valley resident. Exhibits will include vintage cars, a miniature hot-air balloon and a a 45-foot model of a naval vessel.

“It’ll be a great day to bring a picnic lunch,” Hopkins said.

Parking will be available at the new Ward Street lot, with special VIP parking for military personnel. Curbside parking around the park will be prohibited.