Greg Rich remembered at Wayland parade

The Wayland Fourth of July parade started with a solemn note Saturday.

Before the American flag, before the dozens of fire engines and ambulances, before the 64 tractors and 130 parade entries, there was a moment of silence in memory of Mayor Greg Rich, who died unexpectedly at age 58 in September.

“He had so much pride in this town,” parade announcer Tim Meyer said. “He will be missed.”

In Central Park, a canopy was set up for the Rich family to watch the parade.

In keeping with the solemnity of the start of the parade, Scott McNevin, part of the honor guard of the American Legion in Mt. Pleasant and a Wayland resident, silently carried the American flag as the hundreds lining the parade route down Wayland’s Main Street watched with hands over their hearts.

And then came the firetrucks. Dozens of engines with sirens blaring broke the silence and had paradegoers covering their ears.

This year’s parade grand marshal was Robert Meyer, president and CEO of Wayland State Bank, where he has worked since joining the bank in 1975. He is active in the community including the Lions Club and the Wayland Economic Development Corporation. He and his wife, Karen, rode in a convertible under a bright, blue sunny sky. Temperatures were in the 80s.

Wayland had a full day of activities, starting with the Lions Club pancake breakfast at the Wayland Community Center, lunch at WACO High School, benefiting the school basketball teams. Water games for kids on Main Street provided a respite from the heat of the day.

In the afternoon, the West Park Wetlands held a grand opening with a ribbon-cutting for the half-mile walking path through the park and recognition of retiring Police Chief Ron Roth and the new chief, Dustin Stuelke, who started work on July 1.

In addition to the walking path, the new park features a splash pad and new playground equipment.

The day culminated with a fireworks show at the WACO football field.