Friends throw surprise parade for member of Canonsburg Fourth of July Parade committee
Shari Gabriel, a member of the Canonsburg Fourth of July Parade committee, was devastated when the borough was forced to cancel its iconic event because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But even though the traditional parade was canceled, that didn’t stop Gabriel’s friends from bringing one to her.
Much to Gabriel’s surprise, at 9:15 a.m., a parade of decorated cars, led by organizer Cheryl Vanselow and her sister Caren Tucker, who marched together carrying a U.S. flag, passed in front of Gabriel’s Chartiers Township home, in honor of the woman who has dedicated much of her life to the event.
“I’m totally surprised,” said Gabriel, who both laughed and cried as the parade participants waved flags and threw toilet paper, hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes into her yard. “This is so wonderful. (The parade) is my life, and I was having a hard time this morning.”
Before the parade, Gabriel drove to Canonsburg, where she placed a chair in front of the Canonsburg Borough Building on Pike Street, an homage to Canonsburg’s tradition of lining chairs along the street days in advance to nab a good spot to watch the parade.
“I went this morning and sat in the middle of Canonsburg because I’ve never had a chance to sit and watch the parade, I’m always busy with it,” she said. “I was told I had to be home by 9 o’clock though, and I had no idea why.”
Vanselow organized the impromptu parade for Gabriel, whose father, Steve Zemencik, was one of the parade committee’s original members when it began in 1963 and served as chairman at one point.
He was involved with the parade until he passed away in 2002, and Gabriel inherited her father’s love for the annual celebration.
The parade has become a multi-generational experience, and Gabriel’s son, Brian, is also a member of the parade committee. Her daughter, Sarah, also helps prepare.
The parade started at Chartiers Volunteer Fire Department and a Chartiers Township police cruiser escorted about 20 vehicles, decorated with U.S. flags, banners and Fourth of July signs, along Allison Hollow Road to Gabriel’s home near McGovern Road.
Vanselow’s niece, Caitie Tucker, served as “Corona Princess” and presented Gabriel with Corona beer, while Vanselow’s mother, Shirley Cavanaugh, was dubbed “COVID Queen” and tossed rolls of toilet paper.
The group also displayed a thank you sign.
The Canonsburg Fourth of July parade is the second-largest Independence Day Parade in Pennsylvania, and it draws about 60,000 attendees each year.
For some in the small town, it’s an event they’ve never missed, and is a celebrated and cherished family tradition.
It was the first time in the parade’s 57-year history that it has been canceled.
“It was just priceless. It made her day,” said Vanselow. “It was a big decision to cancel. They waited as long as they could. She was so upset.
“It was good,” she added, “to see her happy.”