July 4 parade: Lineup announced, Hawley woman is grand marshal

Emily Bates, a Hawley woman with cerebral palsy, is this year's marshal in the Independence Day parade in Hawley Borough, Police Chief Daniel Drake announced.

He also released the lineup, which is listed below. Bates, 23, is in Division 1 right after the police vehicles and American Legion.

"I think it's a wonderful honor. I was really surprised," Bates said. "… I love the 4th of July!"

Drake, a long-time family friend, invited her to be the parade marshal. He expressed that Emily is a truly special young woman who has fought hard to overcome challenges, being diagnosed early on with cerebral palsy which affected her ability to walk.

Emily’s mother is Anne Johnson, and her father is Jeff Bates. A 2018 graduate of Wallenpaupack Area High School, Emily and her brothers Austin and Jared are triplets. They have an older brother, Justin.

Emily Bates said she has had multiple operations over the years to help her to walk.

She has used crutches and a wheelchair and had been helped with scooters provided by a generous community. Drake said that when Emily was small, he helped raise funds for a specialized tricycle that helped her get about.

Last October, she had an operation to correct failed hardware placed in her hip. She has had five hardware replacements in five years. She said gladly that now she can get back on her feet. Her mother said it has been a "long road," but her daughter is getting better and receiving therapy. "Her leg is stable on the right," her mother said. "Her goal is to walk again like she used to, without a wheelchair."

She added about Emily, "I'm proud of her… She's just an amazing young woman. She keeps fighting through and amazes us all. She's truly a blessing."

With a strong positive outlook, Bates said that though her disability interfered with her hopes of attending college, she did take online courses with Liberty University and is hopeful to be able to resume pursuing higher education. Originally, she considered business, and then accounting, but now says that she wishes to have a career where she can help others facing challenges.

She said she would like to be the voice of others who cannot speak for themselves, noting some people with cerebral palsy are unable to speak.

"People get treated differently with disabilities," Bates said. "It's frustrating… Having a disability doesn't make you different inside."

She added, "everything will be OK in the end and if it's not, it's not the end. There's always a solution to every problem."

A life-long resident of Hawley, the parade marshal commented, "I love Hawley. It's such a cute town."

Parade lineup

The lineup for Tuesday's parade in Hawley is at 11 a.m. on Church Street. The parade steps off at noon and heads up Main Avenue to Bingham Park. The lineup is as follows:

DIVISION 1

Hawley Borough Police, Pennsylvania State Police, Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, Pike County Sheriff’s Department, Honesdale Borough Police, Forest City Police, Lehigh Township Police, Waymart Police, Hawley American Legion and Auxiliary Marching Groups, Grand Marshal Emily Bates, Gary Anderson and Military Transport Vehicle, Wayne County Commissioners, Hawley Mayor John Nichols, Hawley Borough Council, Palmyra Wayne Supervisors, Wayne County Prothonotary, Honesdale Borough officials, all other state, county, or municipal officials.

DIVISION 2

Richard Teeter with 1949 Hudson, Teeter’s Furniture, Ken Gilmore Classic Car, Glenn and Anna Fischetti Classic Cars, Lackawaxen River Conservancy, Boy Scouts of America, Cub Scouts #401, Girl Scouts, Wayne County Council of Republican Women/Republican Committee, Wayne County Democratic Committee, Sons of Norway, Ritz Company Playhouse.

DIVISION 3

Hawley Downtown Partnership, Bold Gold, Wayne County Historical Society Spencer Steam Tractor, Lake Wally Café, Crazy Country Club, Paupack Watering Hole, Mike’s Auto Service & Towing, Watson Brothers, Gary’s Automotive, Palmer & Son Trucks, Moser Trucking, Koberlein Environmental Services.

DIVISION 4

Davis R. Chant Realtors, Wayne Tomorrow, The Dime Bank, Honesdale National Bank, Hawley DPW, Palmyra Township (Wayne County), Women in the Wind – Silver Hawks Chapter, Habitat for Humanity, Pike County Area Agency on Aging.

DIVISION 5

Local and regional fire departments: Hawley, Beach Lake, Blooming Grove, Central, Forest, Greeley, Greene-Dreher, Hamlin, Hemlock Farms, Honesdale, Lackawaxen, Lake Ariel, Lakeville, Ledgedale, Madisonville, Seelyville, Shohola, Tafton, Waymart, White Mills.

DIVISION 6

Emergency medical service vehicles: Delaware Township Volunteer Ambulance, Hamlin Ambulance, Lackawaxen EMS, Pennsylvania Ambulance, Pike County EMA, Tafton Ambulance, White Mills Ambulance, Wayne County Emergency Management.

"On behalf of Hawley Borough and Hawley Borough Police we would like to say thank you to all our veterans and their families," Chief Drake said.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Woman with cerebral palsy is marshal of Hawley's July 4 parade