The village of Panama is looking for someone to fill the role of color guard for their upcoming Memorial Day celebration. Pictured are the fire trucks during the 2021 parade. P-J file photo

PANAMA — As Memorial Day approaches, the village of Panama is searching for someone to fill the role of the color guard for the Memorial Day parade this year.

Originally, the village had the local Boy Scouts troop do it.

“The Panama Boy Scouts only have two Boy Scouts, so they’re not going to participate this year,” Village Mayor William Schneider said. “That puts us in a bind for color guard. Now, I tried to get the Mayville troop, but I kind of knew the answer because they also have their own Memorial Day celebration.”

Schneider said a lot of Panama kids are now a part of the Mayville Boy Scouts troop, so that’s why he tried to get them. The village is still looking for someone such as a veteran or veteran’s organization to be the color guard for this year who is not already attached to a Memorial Day celebration, which is the main problem they are having. Other suggestions included the Girl Scouts and the band.

The placing of the wreath could be passed on to someone else easily, but the color guard usually leads the parade. The village is also looking for someone to read Flanders Field, but has someone reading the Gettysburg Address and doing the call to colors and taps. A student usually reads Flanders Field.

All pastors for the day are set except for one who had originally expressed interest as a Panama graduate, but the village has received no response from them. The village board has the bracelets they will be handing out, letters have been sent to all of the fire departments, and the village will be inviting the senior citizens as well.

County Legislator Travis Heiser is still set to be the main speaker at the event. People who will be participating in the parade begin gathering at the school at 10:30 a.m., with the parade beginning at 11 a.m., lasting around five minutes with the main program beginning shortly after. Other activities include a bake sale at the church, a chicken barbeque at the fire hall, and a go-kart and race car show at the garage.

“I believe they’re going to have some race cars and there’s going to be a bunch of the go-kart racers too,” Schneider said. “She found out that the diner is not going to be open, so she got permission from him to use that whole side lot area too. She’s got it all taken care of there at the garage.”

If the parade gets rained out, the plan is to move it inside the Methodist Church. The village will also be hanging flags at the cemetery, with plans to leave them up until the next Friday, and discussed final set up plans for the day of.