South Shore Drill Team March in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
It came down to the wire but a group of South Side youth had a chance to venture outside of their neighborhoods for an opportunity to take part in a world class, out-of-state, holiday event thanks to the help of a few generous donors and sponsors.
The South Shore Drill Team members departed Monday night (Nov. 25) for the Big Apple (New York City) to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade is a wonderful event, and we’re very proud to help the South Shore Drill Team travel to New York,” says Donovan Pepper, National Director of Government Relations for Walgreens. “These young people work very hard to earn this honor and they will represent, Chicago well.”
Walgreens sponsored the trip with a $5,000 contribution and donated snacks.
Before heading out Monday night (Nov. 25), the team’s first stop was the McDonald’s at 69th and the Dan Ryan where local McDonalds owner Keith Allen, treated the team to a meal. Additionally, Corporate McDonald’s provided $600 in gift cards for the team to use along the way.
McCaffery Interests and Chicago Lakeside Development donated $1,500 which paid for the Statue of Liberty Tour the team took on Tuesday (Nov. 26).
Altogether, the team raised $32,014 to pay for housing, transportation, and meals.
Televised on NBC on Thanksgiving morning, 8-11 a.m., Cst, an estimated 3.5 million people lined the 2.5-mile route, and another 50 million watched the event on television.
Team members took time to enjoy a bit of New York city before marching in the parade on Thursday.
After the big event, team members had Thanksgiving dinner in Harlem.
On Friday, (Nov. 29) the team travelled to Grafton, WI, for a parade there on Saturday before returning to Chicago Saturday night.
Founded in 1980, the South Shore Drill Team was formed as a way to keep youth engaged in positive activities and mitigate the dangers of gangs and drugs.
Last year, the team served 300 youth ages 8-21, who performed at 106 events. The group was one of 24 units selected out of 2,800 applications to march in the Presidential Inaugural Parade on Jan. 21, 2013.
In 2012 and 2013, 100 percent of the team's high school seniors graduated, and nearly all are now enrolled in college. To learn more about The South Shore Drill Team, visit www.southshoredrillteam.org or call (773) 752-7830.
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